


Turn the Tide

by Spicaa



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Darvey - Freeform, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-05-13 13:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 56,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19252357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spicaa/pseuds/Spicaa
Summary: What if Harvey and Donna had had a relationship after 'the other time'? Years after their break-up, they meet again under different circumstances. Set immediately after 6.10.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea floating around for a while, but the setting always got me as I never knew where to place the beginning of the story. So this is set immediately after 6.10 - PSL. I suppose it could be a one shot, but I think this will be around 10-12 chapters long if people are interested enough in it. So let me know your thoughts!

**CHAPTER 1**

He was sitting by the bar when he heard. Usually, he'd have remained in his office, drinking, but for some reason he didn't want to be alone — and a drinking buddy wasn't someone he'd find easily at the firm. Louis with his baby drama, Mike refusing to work for them again. He had asked Ray to drive him to some old school bar where he knew people would leave him alone. Perhaps he should have gone home instead — the place was classy, he had always liked it — but the piano was getting a little melancholic on its own.

He was surprised when a voice joined the piano, so he turned around.

It was a good thing he hadn't been drinking then because he might have choked on his drink.

 _Donna_.

It was a simple arrangement. The piano and her, standing in front of the microphone. The lyrics left her easily — she was wearing a long red dress that fit her beautifully, if he was honest with himself. Her hair was wavy in an old Hollywood style, over one shoulder. He loved it. He hated how much he loved it.

He hadn't seen her in nearly five years. She looked different — her hair seemed brighter, she looked a bit thinner but healthy, her skin was glowing in a way he hadn't seen since way before they ended things between them. He briefly wondered when was the last time he had seen Donna so relaxed — not with him, that was for sure. And it felt like a punch in his gut.

Fate was probably laughing its ass off because of this. Seeing Donna for the first time in nearly five years. Tonight, of all nights.

It was mostly silent in the bar — almost everyone was listening to her. That was Donna, of course — she just shone brighter. She could have been wearing hags and people would simply be drawn to her. She spoke the words slowly, and the song was a sad one too — he drank his scotch with some tightness in his throat. She stopped singing, letting the melody do its work, and he followed her hand as it moved down the microphone pole — it was a fluid motion, and he wondered what was it with her that she could make everything seem so sensual with zero effort.

He remembered her hands well. That movement, right there — he remembered that on him. And he buried the memory deep in his brain, shaking his head. It was not the time nor the place. But his eyes had a mind of their own, tracing her torso — the cleavage of the dress, stopping right between her breasts, and still keeping it classy. He remembered how her breasts felt in his hands.

His lips felt dry, so he turned to the barman and ordered one more drink. When he looked back, Donna had her eyes on him. His glass never reached his lips while the eye contact happened, as brief as it was — but he was sure she noticed. They had always had a way of noticing each other amidst crowds. No matter what happened, certain things didn't change. They had managed to avoid each other well enough — courtesy of living in New York City, he supposed. Still, she noticed. The way he hesitated. But he wasn't the one to break the contact.

She was.

She went back to singing the chorus, her voice strong around the walls of the club, singing with such heart that he was shocked he never knew she could sing like this.

Perhaps they never knew each other at all, he guessed. A year ago, he'd have fled the bar as soon as he saw her.

But maybe it was the situation, tonight of all nights, that made him stay. The sudden tightness in his chest he felt whenever he looked at her — and he couldn't look away. One of his biggest regrets was the way things ended between them. One of his biggest regrets was letting her go — but he had thought he was past that. Seeing her here, tonight, singing — it put everything into a different perspective.

So he didn't leave.

He stayed, and watched her — one song turned into two then into three; her eyes never crossed his again. But her crowd was mesmerized. And if he didn't want to admit to himself — so was he.

Soon enough she was saying goodbye with a smile and thanks and making her way to the bar — far enough from him, he couldn't help but notice. He was always the one who hesitated and ran from an argument in their relationship — not the opposite. So he watched. She had a brief animated conversation with the bartender and politely smiled at a customer. She waited for her drink — he was willing to bet it was gin and tonic — and then walked towards him.

So she wouldn't avoid him. Donna was never one to run away from an opportunity to stare him down.

And stare him down she did, as he was sitting on the stool and she was taller than him in her heels. She leaned against the bar, and he turned to look at her. Properly this time.

"Harvey."

She spoke first — as usual.

"Donna."

Up close, she smelled like the same flowery perfume she used to wear and he used to love — something by Dior, if he remembered right — and her hair looked longer. It made him want to reach out and run his fingers through it.

Still, she said nothing else. They just stared at each other.

Harvey cleared his throat.

"This is a surprise."

"I'll say," Donna agreed.

"Didn't know you were a singer now."

"I'm not," she spoke quickly. "Just doing this once a week. The owner is a friend, and I enjoy the attention."

Harvey would have laughed, because her tone and choice of subject was just the one thing they needed to break the ice. As usual, Donna always knew what to say. Instead of laughing, however, he kept looking at her — and a part of him twisted because while he had always known he missed her, he hadn't realized just how much until now. His smile turned wistful, and he pursed her lips.

"Have a drink with me."

Hazel eyes stared deeply into his. She was assessing him. He could almost see how her eyes narrowed — her lips pursed as well, making a decision. But they both knew there was no decision to make.

"Alright," Donna said, finally. "Let's get a table."

They found themselves a table by the corner, at the end of the room. It was private enough that he doubted anyone could eavesdrop, even if this was just a drink between old — lovers? colleagues? friends? — whatever it was that they were.

"It's good to see you," Harvey said, because he meant it. Even if it was out of the blue.

Donna smiled into her drink. "Well, we spent a few years successfully avoiding each other. It was bound to happen eventually."

"I didn't avoid you."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Please. Any time you went to Rand, Kaldor & Zane you made sure to never get anywhere near Ellen's office."

"You assume I knew you work there."

"You did. Let's not fool ourselves," she said, though her tone was light — almost too easily so. She was an actress. He never forgot that. "Doesn't matter. I don't work there anymore, anyway."

Harvey frowned. "Did Ellen let you go?"

Donna huffed. "Please.  _I_  let her go," she rolled her eyes. "I wanted more. They didn't see that as an option."

"Their loss."

Donna nodded. "It's in the past anyway," she took a sip of her drink, looked around the bar uninterestedly. "How's the firm?"

Harvey let out a deep breath. "Don't pretend you don't know the mess we've made."

She shrugged. "I'm not pretending. But I never believed you'd be ruined."

He gave her a smile. "Thanks."

"You're too stubborn to let anyone beat you."

Harvey glared at her. It almost felt like old times.

"So now, what? Broadway?" he asked, not even pretending to not be avoiding the subject of the firm.

Donna stared at him — assessing. She wouldn't push him. He knew that. Not on this. So she lowered her eyes, gave him a noncommittal shrug.

"We both know that ship sailed without me a long time ago," she said softly. "I'm back to school, actually. Full time now that I'm jobless. Figured it was as good a time as any to really work on it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. MBA. I finish it in a few months," she told him.

"The sky is the limit."

"Well, I'll settle for one of those fancy offices with a great skyline view. Don't need the entire sky," she joked.

"And so you're singing on the side now."

"More of a hobby," she confessed. "I teach a yoga class on Saturdays too. You wanna join that?"

"I'll pass, but thanks."

"Rachel attends every week. I'm sure she could ask Mike to come, too."

"No— wait, you know Mike?"

"Please. I'm Donna," she gave him a pointed look. "He's my best friend's fiancé. And the fraud you hired a month after I left the firm. Of course I know him."

"You're not gonna give me a lecture about that?" he challenged her, drinking the rest of his scotch.

"I think we're past lectures at this point," she said in a wistful tone. He noticed her glass was empty as well.

Just then, they were interrupted by an older man who approached their table — Harvey knew him by name, though it had been many years since they last saw each other. He'd rather not remember the occasion.

"Harvey," the bar's owner said, and Harvey stood up to greet him.

"Joseph," Harvey said with honesty, shaking the man's hand. He knew Donna's eyes were trained on him.

"Been a long time," Joseph said; now close to his seventies, he still had that jovial air about him. Harvey had a few memories of him and his dad exchanging stories — he, a young lawyer, merely an observer. "Red, you didn't tell me your boyfriend had a musical background. His dad was the best goddamn musician this place has ever seen."

Donna smiled, though it was hesitant at best. "I have no doubt he was, but Harvey's not my boyfriend," she was quick to say. Too quick. "We… used to work together."

"Work together? That's what you kids call it these days?" Joseph asked humorously, though the joke fell flat. "It sure would have been a pair to see. Red and your old man Gordon."

Harvey smiled, almost against his will. "They  _were_ quite the pair, I'll tell you that."

"I'll send another round for you. On the house," Joseph said, his palm on his chest. "For old times' sake. Don't be a stranger, Specter."

Harvey saluted the man with his drink and leaned back on his seat. Donna was strangely quiet — averting her eyes the moment he looked at her again. He put the memories of Donna and his dad together to the back of his head, and rubbed his eyes, knowing she'd see right through him. She always could. He hadn't changed that much. He took the opportunity to look at her — posture perfect as always, hands holding the glass on the table in an unnecessary manner. He tried to read her like he was sure she had read him. Her hair looked soft and that hairstyle favored her wonderfully — as most things did. Her gaze met his with the knowledge that he had been staring, and her eyes were challenging. Even observing, he got nothing. He could never read her. He had always blamed the actress in her. Perhaps he should have blamed himself instead.

She sighed — a sign of her patience was running low.  _That_ , he knew.

"It's… good to see you, Harvey. It is. But is there a point to this?"

They stared at each other, her eyes looking less hazel and more brown in the dark room. She was everything he knew he wanted, and everything he knew he couldn't want, all at once.

"Jessica left."

The words blurted out of his lips before he could do something about it. And he watched as the news sunk in — the way Donna's eyes widened and her lips parted as if she did understand the complexity of the fact. Perhaps she did, but only to a degree — she hadn't been around for a long time to truly know.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Harvey."

"Me too," he confessed. "She announced it today. Mike left with Rachel, Louis went to Tara or whatever her name is. He's… engaged now. I came here."

A waiter approached them then, with two tumblers filled with scotch — he had no doubt it was the best in the place. He took their empty glasses and Harvey noticed Donna didn't bat an eye at the scotch; she did choose a different drink before. Harvey took a sip of the liquid — Macallan 36. He let the drink work its way into his body, appreciating it.

"We haven't been focused on saving the firm," he told her. Donna leaned back against her seat, her gaze on him. "I'm not sure we'll survive this."

"From what I've seen, you've survived worst," Donna offered quietly. "The firm did lose me a few years back. That must have been devastating to everyone."

It was meant as a joke, of course. But he didn't laugh.

"It was. For me, at least," he revealed, not meeting her eyes. He pretended to be interested in the piano instead. "Though I suppose if I survived losing you I can survive losing Jessica."

Donna shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "Different kinds of loss, I think. Unless your relationship with Jessica changed over the years."

He made a face. Donna's face relaxed when she took a sip of the scotch.

"God, I haven't drank this in so long," she commented. "Forgot how good it is."

Harvey smiled, and it wasn't his fault that he noticed there was no ring on her fingers — not any that mattered, anyway. She wore a silver band with a solitaire diamond on her middle finger — she knew enough to remember that had been a gift from her mother a few years ago — around a decade ago, he thought.

"I haven't been here since Dad died," he shook his head. "Barely even thought about this place, even. Funny that you're here."

"The last time I saw Gordon was here," Donna told him. He was surprised to hear that. "He had a gig here. Simple stuff. You couldn't attend, we had that case against Global Properties. I made some time. Didn't know you knew Joseph, though."

"I should have made some time, too."

She arched her eyebrows, a long breath leaving her body. "Yeah, well… shit happens," she shrugged. "I come here every year, on the anniversary of his death. I don't know, just seems appropriate. Last year Joseph complained there was no good singer and I stepped in just so there would be someone… performing, or whatever. Joseph liked it."

Harvey smiled. "Of course he did. That one's a Romeo."

Donna laughed. "They all are."

"With you, I'm sure."

It was meant as a joke, but she stopped laughing, and he did too. Their gazes met again — this time, they did not look away.

"I did miss you, you know," he said, not caring if admitting so made him look desperate.

She looked at him with kind eyes — he noticed how her chest fell slightly.

"I know, Harvey," she said. "You'll get through this too."

Their gazes met — this time, she looked away before he could even think of it. Suddenly, he could feel her anxiety from across the table. She looked around the room, a little uncomfortable.

"I should go," Donna said. "Class early tomorrow."

"Right," Harvey agreed.

She was already standing up.

"We could… do this again. Some other time," he offered before he could truly think this through. And he saw her refusal before she said anything — the way she pursed her lips, the way her cheeks flushed slightly.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Harvey," she said with a finality he knew would be irreductible. "You know I've wished you nothing but happiness. You'll be fine. You've been through worse."

He nodded.

She walked away. He kept watching until she slipped through the door and was out of the bar, and he slouched slightly on his seat, drinking the rest of his scotch. He noticed she had only drank half of hers, rolled his eyes, and reached for her tumbler.

They had always been a good team together — at the DA's office, no one could beat them; no one doubted they'd both go places. At Pearson Hardman, they had been a force within themselves — together more than ever, in all senses of the word. They could joke and tease and flirt and fuck and they were the best at it and they knew it. But afterwards, separately — and like this, meeting up, together but not at all, they never knew how to behave around each other. It was as if every confidence had left his body. Maybe he'd have insisted on a dinner with any other woman. Maybe any other woman would have accepted right away.

But that was not them.

So he drank the last of her scotch and stood up.

* * *

_Harvey came home to find two bags in front of the door. That made him even more pissed than he was before._

" _Donna!"_

_His heart was beating against his chest in a way that he'd have considered alarming if he hadn't been so caught up in this… situation. If that was what anyone could call it. It was easy to find her — she was in his bedroom, folding clothes into yet another bag. Their eyes met — his, wide, almost in a rage; hers, serene, certain. The look in her eyes made his steps falter._

" _Donna," he said once he stepped inside the bedroom. A look to the right showed him part of the closet was empty. "Look, I'm sorry. It was a stupid fight…"_

" _God, this is exactly why I had that policy," Donna shook her head, not even bothering to look at him again. "For once, this has nothing to do with work, Harvey."_

" _First you resign from the firm and now you're apparently moving out. What am I supposed to think?"_

" _I'm not moving out, because I never moved in in the first place," she retorted, zipping up the bag. She looked up at him then. "I can't do this anymore, Harvey. I can't be in this relationship for the both of us."_

" _So that's what this is about? You moving in?"_

_Donna shook her head, and that was when he noticed the unshed tears in her eyes. She wasn't blinking — that was how he knew it was true, and not just the act she used when she wanted to prank someone. And the gravity of the situation downed on him so quickly, he almost had to sit down._

" _You know what this is about, Harvey," she said at last, looking out the window. The sun was setting and its bright light gave her hair a golden halo. "This isn't… it's not new. You know that."_

" _We can fix this," he said numbly. He had no idea what he could do to make her give up on this weird idea of them being over._

" _No, Harvey. We can't," Donna said right away, now staring right back at him. "We were… foolish to think this could work. We weren't ready for this."_

" _Donna," he reached for her hand. She didn't pull away. He took that as a win. "I don't want to find what kind of man I am without you."_

_She shook her head, stared at their hands, fingers intertwined. When she looked up, a tear had escaped her eyes._

" _You really don't get it, do you?" Donna blinked. Another tear fell. She pulled her hand away to wipe her cheek. "This isn't about you, Harvey. It's about us. And there hasn't been an us in a while."_

Just you _. She didn't say it, but she might as well have. It was like a stab in the gut._

" _This isn't working for me anymore," she said once more, taking hold of the bag she had been packing. "I love you, Harvey."_

_He stood, as if in a haze — listening to her steps until the front door opened and closed. He must have been there for a few minutes until he finally moved — and it dawned on him how empty everything suddenly was. The flowers Donna kept in the living room, a few items of decoration here and there. She left a cactus on the kitchen counter — as if that was the only thing he could take care of, apparently. If not for the empty part of his closet, it was almost as if she had never been here in the first place. And not even the windows and the sunset and the wind could prevent him from feeling as if the walls were closing in on him; it was suddenly hard to breathe, to catch his breath, almost as if Donna had taken his ability to be alive when she stepped out of his apartment and — apparently, out of his life._

* * *

Donna opened the door to her apartment and was surprised to see the lights on; she left the keys on the table at the end of the hallway, and she let out a laugh when she saw what was happening in the kitchen.

Mitchell turned around at the sound of her laughter — hands occupied with a spoon and the pan on the stove. He was also wearing an apron. Donna thought it looked rather cute on him. He gave her a smile and then let out a low whistle.

"Look at her. Damn."

Donna put a hand on her hip, arching her eyebrows.

"You going for that midnight snack?"

He laughed. "If you're up to it."

Donna laughed, walking over to him and giving him a kiss on the lips.

"I'm making some pasta. Will you join me?" he mumbled against her lips.

Donna shook her head. "No, I had dinner at Joseph's. But I'll accept the wine," she added. "I didn't think you'd be back until tomorrow."

"I decided to leave the conference a day earlier," he explained, tilting his head to one side. "Bad surprise?"

She smiled and kissed him again. "Good surprise."

He pressed his palm against her cheek softly, moving away to get her some wine. Without her shoes, she was much shorter than him — it wasn't something she had had in many relationships, the height difference thing. She liked it.

She sat on the bar stool, smiling thankfully at Mitchell when he handed her a glass of wine. Italian — her favorite. He always knew what she liked best. She watched as he cooked, listened to his talk of North Carolina when she asked how the conference went, but her mind wasn't really on it. She hadn't thought of Harvey in a while — she hadn't heard of him in a few weeks, at least. She was up to date of what was happening at the firm — with the firm, within the firm — because anyone in her line of business would know, but she had always tried to keep it separated from Harvey. Pearson Hardman — or Pearson Specter, or Pearson Specter Litt, she didn't care about the name if she wasn't a part of it — would always be a straight point in her life. A before and after kind of thing. At least, it still was.

It was better than to think of life before and after Harvey Specter, anyway. The feminist in her simply refused to entertain that notion.

She could go on and spread the news to her network — the ones who had helped her in so many situations, before and after Pearson Hardman. But she wouldn't do that — for Harvey. Because having a brief conversation with him already shook her up. And she could only be glad she had had the restraint to keep their encounter short.

Mitchell made a joke about the wine getting to her too quickly, and asked if she had drank anything at Joseph's before — he wouldn't mind if she had. But she shook her head, and decided to not bring Harvey into the conversation. It was pointless, unnecessary, and she didn't think it would matter anyway

Harvey was out of her life, and he'd stay that way. She'd make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Donna sings in the first section is Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey :) And just to make things a little clearer - I feel like Harvey and Donna were probably together for 3-4 years before she left Pearson Hardman. And the Suits timeline is a little confusing to me so I set this episode around 5-6 years after the pilot. Maybe I'm totally wrong but just bear with me with this timeline for the fic's sake :P
> 
> So... should I continue this?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all I'd like to thank the feedback I received for chapter 1! I hope everyone likes this chapter just as much. I know we started off rather angsty but I promise there will be some fluffy; I see this as more of a drama story than hurt/comfort anyway. But it's gonna be a little slow burn at first, so you've been warned ;)
> 
> This chapter is set in She's Gone and The Painting (episodes 11 and 12 of season 6). To be honest I'm not sure if the story will follow all the plots; I'm rewatching season 6 as I write but I gotta say it's my least favorite season and my favorite thing about it is The Donna, which won't be featured in the story (though I tried lol). There are certain aspects that will be changed or rather advanced, but I'll keep the episodes as reference for each chapter.
> 
> I'm writing the fic as I post, so I'm hoping to get an update a week at least, maybe more if the writing flows better. Reviews encourage writers! Don't forget that :P

 

**CHAPTER 2**

He dreamed of her.

It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last, he was sure of it.

He even had a recurring dream featuring her, always the same, with little variations. He saw her packing and leaving him. Her final words to him always the same. Sometimes she left him after they had sex, sometimes he saw her walking down Pearson Specter Litt and he couldn't go after her. He never could go after her, could never even call her to stall her, to convince her to stay.

Tonight it was a little different. The dress she had been wearing at the bar was on the floor, and she was wearing his shirt from the day before. He could feel her lips on his as she straddled him in bed, and he was nuzzling her neck when he spoke.

"Let's do it again."

But she pulled away from him, and all he could see was the sadness behind her eyes. Suddenly, he knew this was a dream. They always ended with that look on her face.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Harvey."

He woke up in a sweat, with a heavy heart  _and_ with an erection.

* * *

Donna supposed she shouldn't have been surprised when she saw Harvey once more at the bar, exactly 8 days since she last saw him. And of course this time it hadn't been a coincidence. She was pretty sure Joseph had something to do with it. By the time she finished singing, she was set on leaving through the backdoor — not in the mood to deal with whatever Harvey was planning to do. And a part of her was nervous to see him again.

Not because she still felt something for him. She just knew how impulsive Harvey could be — with the recent losses he and the firm suffered, she knew he could fuck things up by acting impulsively. A vulnerable Harvey, a losing Harvey, wasn't someone she was sure she could face nowadays. Before, when they were a couple — sure, sometimes. Nowadays? Not a chance.

But Donna didn't run from her problems, so when she stepped out of backstage she was set on going back to the bar anyway — although she nearly jumped when she saw Harvey leaning against the doorway.

She gave him a look, and tried not to look surprised at his sudden appearance. She pursed her lips, and took a small step from the door. It was an unconscious action — the further from him the better.

"Harvey," she said as way of greeting.

"Donna," Harvey answered. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a gray tie. She had always loved dark blue suits on him. She focused on his face instead. "Do you have a minute?"

Donna narrowed her eyes. "What for?"

He shrugged. "To talk."

"Harvey, it's late. And contrary to you, I have someone waiting for me at home, so," she said, moving past him, not even bothering to see his reaction to that little piece of information. Her patience was wearing thin quickly; perhaps it had less to do with the fact that he wanted to talk to her and more to do with the fact that he still affected her. Too much.

She wasn't sure how to handle it. And her resolve to face him was crumbling very quickly.

Donna Paulsen never ran from her problems, but Harvey wasn't a problem. Yet.

"Donna, come on," he insisted. She knew he would have. She felt his hand on the material of her dress, just for a fraction of a second. It was enough to set her skin burning. "Five minutes. It's important."

She took a deep breath and looked around the empty corridor, a little uncertain. When she looked back at him, she saw the desperation in his eyes — for some reason, he truly thought she could help him with something. She didn't fool herself into thinking it was a personal problem — it was never like that with him, not on the surface anyway. And she was glad for it. She could take the professional side.

"Alright. Five minutes."

They ended up in the same booth as last week, and Donna ordered her cocktail without much thought — five minutes was just a figure of speech and they both knew it. Once they had ordered, the silence that had consumed them since meeting backstage had created a tension that could be cut with a knife.

"I gotta say, I was surprised I didn't see a wedding ring on your finger last week," Harvey admitted once the waiter was off.

Donna gave him a tight-lipped smile. "That doesn't mean nobody asked."

Harvey laughed. "Oh, I know your history. So, uh, no husband?"

"Boyfriend," she clarified, looking around the bar, avoiding to really look at him.

"What does he do?"

"Nothing related to the law, thankfully," she rolled her eyes. "He's a doctor."

"Hey, I could have someone waiting for me at home, too."

Donna snickered. "You don't. You wouldn't be asking your ex for advice if you did."

Harvey frowned.

"Why do you think I'm here for advice?"

She shrugged. "Because I'm great at advice."

"Except for yourself," he replied instantly.

It stung. "True. If I took my own advices, we wouldn't have lasted as long as we did."

Harvey didn't reply. The waiter arrived with her cocktail and his scotch. She took advantage of the distraction to truly watch him. She noticed the extra wrinkles around his eyes. A few gray hairs that weren't there five years ago. The tie was slightly crooked, a sure sign of his distress. His hair was too perfect, which meant he probably fixed it before coming here. Other than that, he wasn't that different from the Harvey she used to know.

But he had changed. It was plain to see.

A wave of nervousness took over her, for some ridiculous reason. She was in a happy relationship with someone else. She was living with a guy who could very well become her husband and father of her children. In fact, she could almost see herself having a future with him. It took her years, but she got here on her own. And Harvey, sitting across the table from her, looking completely lost, was enough to make her question all of that in two seconds.

She hated it.

The waiter was gone. Donna took a sip of her drink without looking at Harvey, suddenly needing the alcohol in her system.

"Part of me thought I'd find you with children next time we met," he mentioned.

It was so unlike him to say something like that that she looked up in alarm.

"Well. If you had found me next year, maybe. There's still time," she said goodnaturedly. It was the truth. But she noticed how his jaw seemed tense all of a sudden. "Let's not do this, Harvey."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes. "Small talk. We're past that. What do you want?"

He took a sip of his scotch, looking a little annoyed at her forwardness.

"I want you back in the firm."

 _That…_ she was not expecting.

" _Excuse me_?"

"Jessica left. Mike's not coming back. We are short-staffed to say the least. Louis has been going all crazy about hiring associates, and I'm not sure either of us should be managing partner," he admitted. "I… I need people I can trust. I feel like the whole thing's falling apart."

Donna leaned back on her seat. She shook her head. "I'm not going to be the one to put it all back together, Harvey."

"I trust you, Donna. I know we may have changed in the past five years," he continued. "But that hasn't. And everyone keeps leaving, and I could use someone I trust back there."

"Harvey. Things are just changing. And you've never dealt well with change."

"I tried to bring Mike back," he confessed. "Offered him a job as a consultant. He won't take it. You don't know him like I do, Donna, and now Jessica… They're family. And they're not there anymore, and I saw you last week…"

"They are not your only family, Harvey," Donna interrupted him. "When was the last time you went to Boston?"

The tension was back on his body — his eyes hardened a little. She struck him, not exactly on purpose. She pursed her lips and sighed.

"I won't work for you again. I told you this when we parted ways, and I stand by it. It's final," she said decisively. "The only reason you're even asking me this is because we saw each other last week and the firm is collapsing and you need support. I can't…  _be_ your support anymore, Harvey. And I definitely don't want to be a poor replacement for the people you're losing. Because we haven't been in each other's lives in a long time."

She drank the rest of her cocktail.

"I'll give you an advice, because that's what you should have been here for," she continued. "Jessica isn't your mother. I wasn't your mother. Mike isn't your brother. You have them somewhere else, and maybe you should focus on that instead of trying to fill their void with other people."

Donna stood up. Harvey didn't meet her gaze.

"Goodbye, Harvey."

She left without looking back.

* * *

He came back from Boston on Friday evening. And it hadn't been easy. But it had been right.

 _Donna_ had been right. As usual. Some things never did change.

But it did put the whole thing in a different perspective for him. The firm had yet to recover from Jessica stepping down. Louis was still stealing associates from other firms. Mike certainly didn't seem to want to be back anytime soon. And he, Harvey, wasn't sure if he was truly cut out to be managing partner. Or if Louis was cut out to be his second in command. It was all very vulnerable — he still felt as if they were building castles on the sand. Or maybe they had been, all along.

But he wouldn't give up. They had managed to keep the firm standing after the Mike scandal. It hadn't been that long, but enough that they hadn't sunk yet. He'd make sure they'd still stand without Jessica.

But he would need help, and that was why he ended up knocking on the familiar 407 door at nearly ten pm on Friday.

It was Mike who answered the door.

"Harvey," he said, his face hardening. They weren't in the best of terms. "What's up?"

Harvey gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Can I talk to Rachel?"

Mike frowned. "Rachel? Uh, sure, come in."

He stepped away from the door and walked inside the apartment. Mike was wearing casual clothes and Harvey briefly wondered if he had found another job already — something difficult to find once you're a convicted felon, no matter the crime. As Mike closed the door behind him, Rachel walked into the living room, still in her work clothes. She frowned when she saw Harvey.

"Harvey, hey," she greeted him, sharing a look with Mike, who was still standing by the door. "We're having a late dinner, would you like to join us?"

"Thanks, Rachel, but no," Harvey declined. "This should be quick. I just want to know where Donna teaches her yoga class on Saturday."

Rachel arched her eyebrows. "Donna?"

"You mean your ex-girlfriend, Donna?" Mike asked, perplexed.

Harvey gave him a look. "You know of any other Donna?"

"No, I'm just confused that you're looking for her now when you've mentioned her maybe three times in the last five years," Mike continued, still frowning. "And twice of those mentions were when you were high, and the other was to say Donna was not to be mentioned, which can only mean she can be mentioned now, so…"

"Shut it, Jack Sparrow," Harvey said impatiently, looking back at Rachel. "I just want to talk to her."

Rachel was reticent about this, it was plain to see. The two had been thick as thieves in the past, but Harvey wasn't sure how their friendship was these days — clearly it had endured.

"Are you asking as my boss or as her ex-boyfriend?" Rachel asked after a moment.

"Her ex-boss, maybe?" Harvey sighed. "Look, I ran into her last week. And I wanna talk to her about the firm. I figured it would be better to see her outside then knock on her door."

That had Rachel nodding. "Yes, I suppose it is," she frowned, and shared a look with Mike. Her eyes met Harvey's then. She looked at him for a long moment. "Fine."

Whatever she saw in his eyes seemed okay, apparently, because the next moment had Rachel picking up her phone and texting him an address.

"It ends at ten," Rachel informed him. "Don't make me regret this."

Harvey smiled. "You won't," he put his phone back in his pocket. "See you tomorrow," then, before turning around, he nodded at Mike. "Mr. Zane."

He didn't have to look back to know Mike was rolling his eyes at him.

"I could have given you the address too, you know!" Mike called after him. "Not that I would have!"

Harvey smirked his way down the stairs.

* * *

He saw Rachel before he saw her. They were the last out, and Rachel gave him a look that he wasn't sure he completely understood; then Donna came into view. And any doubts he had about the conversation they were about to have were gone.

He had to try it.

Her eyes met his and he noticed the surprise in them. He watched as she gave Rachel a not so subtle glance — both of them with yoga mats over their shoulders, hair in a ponytail. Donna's skin was a little pink from the physical activity, and he could very well notice sweat still looked great on her even years after he saw her like this.

It wasn't a sight he was likely to forget. So he pushed himself into standing instead of leaning against the black Ferrari Daytona, and approached the pair slowly. They were talking in hushed voices, no doubt about him, and he stopped a few steps from them — just making himself known without interrupting whatever convo they'd be having. He supposed Rachel would receive a phone call from Donna later. Complaining about him, he had no doubt.

"We'll talk later about dinner," Rachel said pointedly, and loud enough for him to hear. She turned slightly towards him. "Harvey."

He nodded at her. "Hey, Rachel."

Harvey saw the way Donna's posture became a little more tense, and she turned around to look at him. Rachel walked away purposefully, and he was pretty sure she was wishing him good luck with her eyes, so he took a deep breath before speaking.

"My answer is still no."

She beat him before he could even start speaking.

"You don't know why I'm here," he challenged her.

"Harvey, we haven't seen each other in five years and now you've searched for me twice in less than a week. I know why you're here," Donna continued, adjusting the strap on her shoulder. "I told you I have no intention of working for you again. Ever."

"I'm not here because I want you to work for me," Harvey said, stepping closer to her. She looked a little lost, as if she wasn't sure how to act next. He decided to not give her enough time to think it through, lest she escaped again. "I want you to work  _with_  me."

Donna let out a deep breath. "I don't want to be your secretary."

"Be my COO."

That did it.

Harvey saw it in her face — she did not expect this.

Her lips opened slightly, and Harvey let hope swell in his chest. Their eyes met, unwavering, and they were in Midtown surrounded by people but there might as well no one else in the city but them. And he  _knew_ her — they had changed, but he knew her. He knew she probably had money to keep herself going, but he knew Donna needed security, and he'd be giving her a lot more than that — he was willing to give her more. The push in her career that she wanted and undoubtedly deserved.

He just wanted her to accept it, and be a part of his team. Like she used to be.

But she was torn. He could feel it.

"We didn't work last time. What makes you think we will this time around?" She asked.

Harvey pursed his lips and shook his head. "All I know is that we've changed. And we can try."

"The circumstances have changed as well," Donna added. A sigh escaped her lips. "I have no experience as a COO."

"You know the firm. You know the people that matter. You can handle them.  _Us_ ," he quickly corrected. "Worst that happens, we don't get along and I give you an  _amazing_ recommendation letter. Then you'll have experience as a COO."

She huffed. "That's not the worst that could happen, and you know it."

Harvey shrugged. "What can I say? I'm an optimist."

Donna laughed. For the first time since he had seen her recently, she laughed. It was music to his ears.

"Just think about it," Harvey said, tilting his head.

Donna nodded. "Alright. I'll think about it."

"You know where to find me to negotiate your salary," he added.

She narrowed her eyes. "Or to tell you I refuse the offer."

"What did I tell you? I'm an optimist," he winked at her.

She shook her head and started walking, no goodbyes necessary. He let himself grin and he walked back to his car with a new spring in his step.

He was confident he'd hear from her soon.

* * *

They were at an antique store in Brooklyn; the place was filled with the most amazing — and useless — vintage paraphernalia. Donna was more into modern art, but she had found some great items in stores such as this one, back when she renovated her apartment around five years ago. After Pearson Hardman.

Between the two of them, they had enough furniture for at least three apartments, but Mitchell had liked the idea of starting anew in their recently purchased, albeit still being remodeled, townhouse. She wandered a little aimlessly next to him, not really sure of what they were looking for. He had even hired an interior designer, and Donna didn't particularly care for that — she thought she had enough personality to know what she wanted in her own house, thank you very much — but he had insisted. And now they needed vintage furniture.

She stopped to examine a mirror — floor length, with beautiful engravings — when their fingers disconnected and Mitchell stepped away from her, to see something else. She caught her own reflection, and adjusted her hair a little bit. The truth was that her heart wasn't in furniture shopping this afternoon. For obvious reasons.

"I got a job offer today," Donna commented, stepping away from the mirror to go back to Mitchell, who was photographing a phonograph. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna send this to Lorraine," he said about the hired interior designer. "Would look pretty good in the living room, don't you think?"

Donna shook her head. "I don't like it much. I don't know."

It reminded her of Harvey. Of Gordon. A family she was nearly a part of one day. Mitchell frowned and deleted the picture, no further questions asked — or perhaps he was too distracted by what she had said before.

"A job offer? From where?"

"Pearson Specter Litt," she answered, as if it was no big deal. "And it's not as an assistant."

"You worked there before, with Rachel, right?" Mitchell asked, surprised. "What's the position?"

"COO."

He gave her a bright smile then. She couldn't help but smile back, although with some reservation.

"Way to go, sweetheart," he said, proudly. "Are you accepting it?"

Her independence was important to her — perhaps the most important thing in her life. And she had made investments before, shared ones with Harvey that had given her stability for this time away from work and back to school, and even helped her buy the townhouse with Mitchell, but money didn't last forever, and she sure as hell didn't want to be known as simply his partner or wife. She was her own person, and Mitchell knew that.

Which was why it would be weird for her to not consider this offer.

"I don't know," Donna said honestly. "I didn't think I'd work there again. They have new managing partners now, though. They haven't really talked of money yet, but I'm sure it'd be good."

"That's not important," Mitchell said, shaking his head. "Not really. Not if you're happy in the job."

"Yeah, that's the point, I guess."

A lamp caught her attention. Beautiful, art déco. She liked it, but she didn't think it fit Mitchell's style too much.

"You never did tell me why you stopped working there," he mentioned nonchalantly.

He wasn't overly curious. He definitely didn't think there was much to the story. It gave her a funny feeling in her stomach.

"I liked it there. You know Rachel and Louis," Donna told him. "But it wasn't always good. And then I got the offer from Ellen Rand, so…"

"You could always do a trial. A couple months, see how it goes," Mitchell offered. She nodded at his suggestion. Before they could continue, a loud ringtone filled the air. "Damn, sorry, sweetheart. Gotta take this."

Donna shook her head, not minding the interruption. She listened as Mitchell jovially answered the phone, and smiled at his joke about being ready to push babies out; she must have heard that one at least five times before. She didn't mind the constant beeping and paging that came with him — the life of an OB/GYN, she supposed. It was funny, really — in corporate law, they only cared about the client. It was her line of business, it was what she knew how to do and what she was good at. And she ended up with a doctor who cared for babies and new mothers.

She wondered if he'd be so supportive of her job offer if she knew her former boss and now possible co-worker was actually her ex-boyfriend.

* * *

It felt weird to be back here.

In many ways nothing had changed; Donna even remembered one of the security guys. But it was unnerving, all the same. The goosebumps she felt when she pressed the number 50 in the elevator, the reception desks, empty by this time of the evening. The offices were darkened — she took the long route, and passed by Jessica's old office (filled with boxes), Louis's, and her steps only faltered when she was in front of conference room 3 and had to look up to the only lit up office on the floor. Her old cubicle was like a beacon of light; the memories of this place were both good and bad.

She kept walking. Her steps were resolute. The sound of her heels echoed in the halls. She was sure he had already heard her.

She found him with his back turned to her, admiring the painting on the wall. Donna knew the painting — knew how much it meant to Harvey. Her fingers knocked lightly against the glass door. He knew she was coming, security had called him to approve her entrance and he appeared to be the only one left. His office was still the same, and it pained her a little — that five years could go by and he could stick to his ways so much. Harvey turned around. She noticed the picture had been replaced by a photograph instead. And she knew the little boy in it.

It took her a few seconds to look back at him. He was wearing casual clothes, which was a bit unusual for the office, but it was Saturday night after all. And she… she was wearing one of her best work dresses and Manolo heels and her hair looked great and her makeup was on point. She wasn't going out later or even seeing anyone, as Mitchell would probably be busy for a long time at work. Yet, she had come prepared. Prepared to say no.

Seeing that picture, the way Harvey's eyes lit up when he saw her, him wearing that damn navy sweater that looked so good in him, the memory of him leaning against the Ferrari Daytona this morning — her resolution suddenly changed.

No, his office wasn't the same. The picture on the wall made a big difference.

She let out a breath.

"So… have you come to negotiate your salary?" He asked with a smirk.

Infuriating.

She couldn't help it. The challenge of their verbal spars was always a big deal to her. She could still read him and his wishful thinking, and she had come to say no because it would be the best to all involved — her, Harvey, Mitchell even though he didn't know it — and yet her mind changed because of a smirk and one picture.

"I sure hope you have a better proposition than what you already have in mind," Donna retorted.

Harvey laughed, shaking his head and moving to his desk. Donna took a few steps into the office, but kept her distance — noting the New York skyline and the balls lined up by the windows and his records still on the shelves. Almost like five years ago.

She watched as he took an envelope from the desk and offered it to her.

Donna shook her head. "I want the one under your keyboard."

He arched his eyebrows. "How do you know that's the one with the better offer?"

She smiled. "I know."

He obliged her, handing her the right envelope. She opened it and was very pleasantly surprised with the offer, giving him a look.

"Did Louis approve this?"

"He will," Harvey said at once.

Donna nodded. She tilted her head to the side. "I'll get my own office."

"Right next to the managing partner's," Harvey agreed. He grinned. "A great view."

"And my own assistant."

"Of course."

"And I won't be able to be here three mornings a week because of class," she continued as a warning.

Harvey nodded. "We can handle that."

"We won't talk about before," she told him very clearly. "What's in the past is in the past. I don't want that to interfere with work. This is… a fresh start."

He nodded slowly. "Alright. So… do we have a deal?"

She saw the twinkling in his eyes, and maybe she should have been alarmed by the mischief, but she was a little blinded by the success of this — the offer was the kind she had always dreamed about. It could open so many doors. It could give her so much meaning.

"We do."

He smiled. So did she.

He offered her his hand and she moved closer to his desk to take it — felt his skin against hers and realized they hadn't touched since his reappearance in her life. Her smile faltered, but only slightly, and she let go.

"Welcome back," Harvey said softly. "COO."

Donna laughed. "That sounds damn good to hear."

"Damn  _right_ ," he corrected. "Want a drink? To celebrate."

She  _did_. She did want a drink to celebrate. And suddenly she remembered late nights in this same office, drinks and music and touches, and she didn't want to remember those. Not like this — not in a deserted firm, with just him. Donna had always prided herself in being a woman of her own mind who controlled her own feelings, but…

It was different with Harvey.

So she shook her head.

"Not tonight. But thanks," she said. He didn't look surprised. "I should get going."

He nodded. She turned around to leave, but her attention was caught by the picture on the wall once more. She stopped.

"Just one more thing," she said a little hastily, adjusting the picture slightly. When she turned to look at him, he had this weird look on his face. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Old habits die hard."

It was meant as a joke, but it fell on flat ears.

"That they do," Harvey merely agreed. He cleared his throat. "So, I'll see on Monday?"

Donna smiled. "Yes, you will."

She left at that, the echo of her heels loud in her ears, a slight worry in her head that maybe this was the wrong thing to do. She passed by the offices again. She noticed the mostly empty room beside Jessica's old office, and let herself think of her name on the door. She shook her head.

It wasn't wrong. It was  _damn_   _right_.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter covers episodes 613 and 614, but you don't have to watch them to understand I think ;) Thank you so much for the feedback so far, I appreciate every single one of them! Someone asked if I knew how long the story was going to be, and I thinking around 10-12 chapters. I'll try not to torture you for too long. And this is a Darvey story so - well, don't get too invested in Mitchell (I know you aren't) :P

 

**CHAPTER 3**

Donna listened as Rachel told her the most recent developments in her life — and this time she paid extra attention at the firm's news. She was already a little tipsy and wondering how exactly she'd tell her best friend that she would be joining her at work tomorrow morning. But there was something else too — because Rachel hadn't so much as mentioned Harvey, despite the fact that she had clearly arranged their meeting after yoga yesterday.

"That's great, Rachel," Donna told her friend, not wanting to postpone the inevitable, "but I'm on my third glass of Chardonnay and I don't think you called me over here to tell me you submitted your application to the Bar, or that you're putting your foot down with Louis."

Rachel chuckled. "You're right," Rachel chuckled. "I called you here to tell you that I put my foot down with Mike."

"So you finally told him to pick a hairstyle and stick with it?"

"No," Rachel laughed. "I finally told him that he made me a promise before he went away, and now that he's back and gainfully employed, it's time for him to make an honest woman of me."

Donna smiled. Not exactly the kind of subject she was expecting, but one she welcomed all the same. "Rachel, I'm so happy for you," she said truthfully, remembering all the trials — figuratively and literally — the pair had gone through. "And the answer's yes."

"What answer? I didn't ask you a question yet."

"Yes, you did, and I'd be thrilled to be your maid of honor," Donna said, a little proudly.

Rachel smiled. "Thank you, Donna," she took a sip of the wine. "Or matron of honor. Maybe Mitchell will pop the question too."

"Oh, I hope not," Donna cringed. "We've been so busy with the whole house hunting and now decorating, I can't bear to think about planning a wedding. Unless it's yours, of course."

Rachel laughed, but the frown remained on her face. "I thought you guys were good. You've talked about marriage, right? I mean, you've been together for how long, two years?"

Donna shrugged. "A year and a half. He knows how I feel about the subject," she added, not really elaborating. "And now I've got a new job, so I'm sure we'll try to keep the changes to a minimum."

Rachel gaped at her. "A new job? Why didn't you say that as soon as you got here?"

"I was waiting for you to ask me about talking to Harvey yesterday, which you never did. Which tells me you were either regretting that already or simply not ready to face me," Donna concluded, giving her friend a look. "Option number one, right?"

Rachel huffed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. He came here and demanded the address. He said he wanted to speak to you as your ex-boss, that it was for the firm, but then he got there, looking like a…"

"Like a player."

"With that car, I regretted it at once."

"It's that shit eating grin of his. The worst," Donna rolled her eyes.

"But you got a job out of it?" Rachel sounded surprised.

"He offered me a position. As a COO," Donna told her, feeling proud to share the news with her best friend. "I couldn't say no to that."

"Donna, that's great!" Rachel said at once. "This is what you deserve. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Rach," Donna said with a smile. "It's a great offer. I couldn't say no. Even if I promised myself I'd never work with Harvey again."

Rachel shrugged. "Working with him might be different than working for him."

Donna made a face. "Yeah, well… we pretty much tried doing both last time around," she drank the rest of her wine. "It's totally different now. Obviously."

Her friend nodded, but was still frowning. "Right. And Mitchell?"

"What about him?"

"How does he feel about you working with Harvey again?"

"Oh, that," Donna said, as if she hadn't gotten the drill the first time around. As if that hadn't been on her mind for a while. "He… doesn't know. About me and Harvey."

The look Rachel gave her was enough to make Donna feel the need to defend herself.

"He doesn't need to know. It's in the past," she said. "He knows about the break-up, that is. He just doesn't know it's Harvey. And, sure, he might have had reservations about it if he knew, but he'd let me make my own decision."

"Are you sure about this, Donna?" Rachel asked, looking a little worried. "What if months or years down the road he finds out Harvey is your ex? He'll want to know why you didn't tell him, and that… it could look suspicious."

"I would never cheat on Mitchell, and he knows that," Donna said. "Just… trust me on this one, okay? It's just simpler if he doesn't know."

"Okay," Rachel agreed. A smile broke out on her face. "I can't believe we'll work together again! We'll have lunch tomorrow, right? To celebrate you being back."

"Of course! And I expect our happy hours to make a comeback as well. I've been dying for a margarita," Donna confesses. "Just don't forget I'm your superior now, and we're all good."

Rachel laughed as she filled their wine glasses once more, and all topics of working with Harvey were forgotten — or avoided.

It was better that Mitchell didn't know anything, anyway. It would make no difference whatsoever.

* * *

"So basically you came here to apologize, so you didn't have to get married at your shitty little apartment."

He was relieved, if he were honest. Not being on good terms with Mike — it was a pain. And right then he needed the friendship more than anything; he couldn't exactly count on Louis with his drama, and Jessica was out of the picture, indefinitely. He was glad Mike came to look for him. He was glad he apologized.

"You think that I'd ask you to be my best man if we had a better location?"

Harvey laughed. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Harvey."

"Now all we need to do is make sure you don't skip out on this one," Harvey joked, leaning back on his seat.

"Yeah, it's funny," Mike agreed. "We also need to make sure you don't," he stopped for a fake cough, "Donna at the wedding."

Harvey glared at him. "What did you just say? You got something caught in your throat?"

"No, I'm all good," Mike quickly said. "You know she's gonna be Rachel's maid of honor, right? And you're my best man…"

"She's also the COO at my firm," Harvey interrupted him. "Perhaps you should mind your words a little."

Mike leaned forward, eyes wide. "Wait a minute. You  _hired_ her?" At Harvey's nod, the kid still looked surprised. "You hired your ex? The same ex no one could mention to you. The ex who's in a relationship with another guy. That ex?"

"You know of any other exes who worked at the firm?"

"Well, Scottie for once, and then there was Zoe…"

"Fine, yes, I hired Donna," Harvey admitted. "We need people we can trust. She's the best for the job. I'm not interested in anything but her professional side."

Mike frowned. "Really? 'Cause if  _I_  was single, I'd be interested in many of her other sides."

Harvey snickered. "She'd never go for you."

Mike arched his eyebrows. "Yeah, you have a point. Uh, I hope you know what you're doing."

Harvey rolled his eyes.

On the inside, there was no certainty; he hoped for the best just as Mike did.

* * *

The first thing Donna saw when she exited the elevators early on Monday morning was… flowers. Pink roses, actually. And a smile full of teeth.

"Hello, Louis," Donna said with a smile, standing in front of her friend. "Are those for me?"

"Who else? Of course they're for you," Louis replied. "I came in earlier just because of this. No way in hell I wouldn't be here to welcome you back."

Another elevator opened and two people came out. Louis gave them a rather bothered face. Donna narrowed her eyes.

"How long have you been standing here?"

"Long enough that people noticed. Come on, let's go," he motioned for her to follow him. She still had a box of her things so he had to keep holding the flowers for her. "When Harvey told me the news, I was ecstatic. The firm has never been the same without you."

"Thanks, Louis."

They entered Jessica's old office — empty save for a desk and a few chairs. It seemed like the boxes she had seen on saturday evening were gone already. Louis set the flowers on the desk and sat on one of the visitor chairs in front of the desk. Donna did the same.

"Next office is empty, so I suggest you work on that this morning," he said helpfully. "We're sparing no expenses. Order whatever you want. On the firm."

"Thanks," Donna said tentatively.

"You can work from Jessica's office today, no problem. I'm sure Harvey will pop in soon to welcome you," he continued. "I gotta say, you guys were always the endgame to me. Don't get me wrong, Harvey's a pain in the ass, and you were always too much for him, but then that's for everyone. So when Harvey told me you'd be back I could not believe my ears. I've drank four prunies this morning alone."

Donna nodded. "Right. I'm glad."

"I mean, honestly, when you left," Louis huffed. "What a mess. Therapy, hiring a fraud? Thank God you weren't here to see that."

That piece of information was new to her. And far too much; she did not need or want to know of such things. She leaned forward on her seat and narrowed her eyes.

"We're not back together, Louis."

Louis immediately frowned. "Wait, what?"

"I'm guessing Harvey didn't go into details when he said he hired me."

"No, but… Goddamn. Sorry, Donna."

"We're all colleagues, Louis. It's all good. Nothing to worry about," Donna assured him, eyeing the contents on the desk. "So… decorating and then I suppose that pile of papers belong to me already?"

"Basically, yeah. And I'm here to debrief you because God knows Harvey's head hasn't been in the game lately," he complained.

Donna didn't prod him for details.

They weren't like that anymore.

* * *

Her first day was composed of yes, decorating, because appearance was everything, and to keep up with the current cases and employees — thankfully something that had been very well documented by Jessica. A trip to HR solved her remaining contractual obligations, and a lunch with Rachel filled with wedding talk in order to take her friend's mind out of the bar's recent decision to not grant her an interview was in order.

It was late by the time she felt a little more confident in her bearings — it was weird to not be a secretary, she realized, and it was much more work and responsibility but she had been able to go through her first day without much trouble. She decided to call it a day when the clock hit 8 — it felt weird working in Jessica's office and she knew she'd have more work as the week passed by. She was pretty sure Mitchell was waiting for her with dinner and she wanted him to feel included in this new development of her life.

They were living together, after all. Or in the process to start properly living together anyway.

She had to admit to herself — the prospect of him asking to marry her was approaching, day by day, and since Rachel brought it up it came with a feeling of dread in her chest. She had thought she was ready for this — hell, she had agreed to buying the brownstone house weeks earlier, gladly. But marriage was a different thing altogether, and she kept thinking about how her parents, even loving each other, couldn't make it work. Even after twenty years together, their marriage didn't work.

And she  _really_  hoped she wouldn't get home tonight to a romantic dinner and a marriage proposal.

It was a sad realization for her. That she felt this way.

She was already inside the elevator with the doors closing when a hand interrupted the motion and made the doors reopen. It was the first time she actually saw Harvey today, save for a quick conversation near his office in the morning. He had been out most of the day, probably trying to solve Rachel's problem, and she was glad for it. Donna thought she could feel her grounding firmer when he wasn't around.

The elevator began its descent and the silence remained as he stepped beside her, a safe distance between them.

"Hey. How was your first day?" He asked. His hands were in his pocket. He looked casual about their encounter.

Donna smiled. "It was good. I talked to Gretchen this afternoon, we have a meeting at 9."

"And business begins," he said with a satisfied smirk. "In exactly how much trouble do you think we're in?"

"It won't be easy to explain Jessica's leaving, but we'll survive," she assured him. "It's good to be back. Feels a bit… like home. I don't know."

Harvey looked at her, a little surprised. Ultimately, he smiled. "I agree."

Their eyes met, and she let herself watch him — really watch him. It was the first time they'd be working together without any kind of relationship — and a friendship would be good right now, she thought.

"Louis got Rachel her interview, she told you that?" he asked.

Donna nodded. "Yeah. It was a misunderstanding, apparently."

"Yeah."

She looked at him from corner of her eye. "So I'm guessing  _you two_  are working on correcting the misunderstanding."

He gaped at her, but just for a moment until he recovered and smirked in her direction.

"So you can still do that, huh?"

"You know what I can do," Donna replied, tilting an eyebrow.

The elevator beeped as it reached the ground floor. Harvey let her out first.

"Ray's just outside. You want a ride?" He asked as she put on her coat.

Donna looked at him. Inclined to accept it. She liked Ray, and she was glad to know he was still working for Harvey. A ride with him would be better than a taxi, and perhaps a step into evolving this tentative friendship they were forming.

But she shook her head. Mitchell was at her apartment. Questions could be asked.

She didn't want to answer them.

"I'll get a cab, no worries," she replied. "Thanks."

Harvey shrugged and strolled away. She watched as he walked past the revolving doors and saw the slick black car parked out front. She let out a deep breath. It wasn't even so much about the questions, it was also about… how she wasn't sure she could trust herself with their friendship.

She'd have to try, though.

She got home to a dinner — not exactly romantic, but nice — questions about her first day back, debates about decoration and how Mitchell's parents would be in the city for the weekend. All very mundane and nice — the way she liked, truthfully. Exactly what she had been looking for for so long.

And yet, when she finally retired to bed after such a long day, all she could feel was relief that he hadn't proposed to her.

* * *

Donna was surprised when Louis barged into her office three days into her new job — smiling like he had eighty teeth, in a very good mood. She stopped making notes and leaned back on her chair, waiting to see what the source of happiness was about.

"You did it, Donna," he said proudly. "Carly Donahue is staying with us."

Donna smiled. "I'm glad, Louis. We're not Jessica, but we sure did our best."

"You sure did," he sat in one of the visitor chairs in front of her desk. Her office was more or less furnished now; she liked what she had done with it. Homey, even if it was still an office. She had a feeling she'd be spending a lot of time here. Before she could say something against Louis' statement, however, he interrupted her. "I mean it, Donna. Harvey and I haven't been focusing on the firm as we should. It's good to have an ally. To have someone we can trust."

Donna blinked slightly, feeling a little overwhelmed at the confession. "Thanks, Louis. You know I've always wanted the firm to be at the top of the game."

"Even when you worked for Rand and we were collapsing?" he asked it without bite.

Donna took it as it was. "Even then. Even when I knew Mike was a fraud and you were trying to cover it," she sighed. Louis looked surprised. "I knew a few years ago. I knew Rachel, and Mike. And I know Harvey. Or at least, I used to."

Louis nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

This was not a simple conversation about a client, she realized.

"What is it, Louis?"

"Tara and I... We promised we'd be honest with each other," he started. "I'm not sure how well she'll take the news that I knew Mike was a fraud well. Or that I used it to get a promotion."

_That_  was new information to her. But not surprising.

"How would you have taken it? If you were with Harvey when he hired Mike."

Donna huffed. She took a long, deep breath, rolling her chair slightly. It was a difficult question nowadays. But back then — she had no doubt how she'd have taken it.

"I'd have trusted him. And supported him," she answered truthfully. "I don't know, maybe I'd have encouraged it. Harvey and I, we've always been pragmatic. And you are, too, Louis. I think it comes with our line of work," she joked. "I'm not sure Mitchell would have approved of it. People are different, Louis. The two of you are still getting to know each other."

"So you're saying maybe I shouldn't tell her?"

Donna shook her head. "No. Just that sometimes we don't tell things because we think it's for the best. And sometimes it is," she added. "This is big, though. And you're raising a child together. So... honesty is always the best policy."

Louis nodded. "You're right."

Donna smirked. "Yeah. I am."

He stood up to leave, but she called him.

"Hey, how did that ultrasound go?"

Louis embarked on a detailed yet not much to the point tale about Tara's ultrasound, and Donna found herself wondering why, after all these years, she still couldn't take her own advice whenever Harvey was concerned.

* * *

Harvey found her in her office the Friday after she first started. With all the incidents regarding their case against Velocity, saving Rachel's admission to the bar, and getting leverage so that Mike could get a chance in getting in, he had barely been in the office long enough for it to truly sink in that Donna was working there again. They had had a few meetings about cases and clients and associates, but they were all quick, to the point and in the company of Louis.

He knocked softly against the glass door, feeling perhaps a little proud at the words engraved on it —  _Donna Paulsen, Chief Operating Officer_. She looked up instantly from the papers she had been signing. Her office was decorated now — modern yet classic and felt very much like her. He noticed roses in a vase on the table and realized he should have perhaps gotten her something as a welcome gift — but he was terrible with those.

"What can I do for you, Harvey?" Donna asked with a smile.

She was wearing a crimson dress — people wouldn't think the color would look that good on her, but it did.

Harvey shrugged. "Just wanted to know how your first week has been," he said. "And to thank you for covering for me with Carly Donahue."

"Try to be there next year. The woman can be nasty," Donna smirked.

"Louis said you swept her off her feet," Harvey replied.

"Yes, well, I'm not a partner," she put the multi-colored pen away, looking a little tired. "She'll want a partner next year. You need to step in, Harvey. And I don't mean just with Carly."

Harvey nodded. He knew what she thought — Louis wasn't ready. The two of them sharing the managing partner title was temporary at best. He didn't feel ready either, but maybe with her — he thought he could manage the firm if she had his back. He didn't want to be so dependent so soon — she was no longer his assistant, she didn't answer his calls or charmed his clients. And he liked it this way — this short distance. He felt they would be better partners this way.

_Professionally_ , of course.

"When Mike and Rachel get into the Bar," he said.

Donna nodded, understanding the promise behind the words.

He arched his eyebrows. "Maybe next year you'll be partner."

Donna snickered. "Yeah, right. I'm not a lawyer," she instantly said. "And I still remember how much it was to get in, you know."

Harvey tilted his head, leaning against the side of her desk. She remained sitting. "You never know. You're making good money right now."

"I made good money as your assistant," she retorted.

"Not as much."

"Not as much, but good money for a secretary," she agreed, appearing to be pensive. She had a calculating look in her eyes when they turned back towards him. "You never told me you paid for my salary from your own."

He wasn't surprised she knew. He was pretty sure Jessica would have told her — or she would have noticed when she resigned. He was surprised she brought it up.

"You were always more than a secretary. And I don't mean that because of us," he sighed. "Junior partners didn't get secretaries, so I paid you myself. And then we made partner and it just kept that way."

"I wish you'd have told me," she said quietly.

"You wouldn't have accepted it," Harvey replied.

"No, but then you wouldn't have omitted this to me, and maybe I wouldn't have come to work here," Donna retorted. "Things would have been very different."

"I don't regret bringing you here with me."

Donna snickered. "Of course you don't. We jumped into a lot of things without thinking, Harvey."

"We always won."

"And we lost ourselves in the middle."

There was silence. Their gazes unwavering. He had promised her he wouldn't bring them up, and yet — this was what happened the first chance they had of a private conversation in five days. And he knew he hurt her, but she hurt him too. And he hadn't forgotten about it yet.

"You never gave me a chance after you left."

It was the truth. The few belongings he had in her place she had it sent back to him through Ray. He wasn't allowed in her apartment building anymore, and he had been hurt and refused her offer to stay for a month at the firm to train her replacement. At the end, all he remembered was the hurt, and the pain. The panic attacks followed. He had hired Mike. That mess still followed him to this day.

"I think you never gave  _us_ a chance at all," Donna replied.

He was sick of that argument. He had heard it from his brother, and Jessica and even Louis, and—

A knock on the glass shook him from his reverie, preventing him to reply.

A man stood by the door, holding yet another bouquet of flowers, also roses but this time red ones — didn't these people know Donna didn't even like bouquets in certain occasions? — and giving them a tentative smile. Donna stood up instantly, the change in her unmistakable.

"Mitchell, come in," she said.

Harvey stood up straight as well. The guy was roughly the same height as he was, with much darker hair and wearing glasses. He remembered Donna saying he was a doctor — he certainly looked the type. He also looked the type to bring her flowers often, and to take her to the theater and do things she liked to do.

Harvey kind of hated him on the spot.

"This is Harvey Specter," Donna introduced him. "Harvey is a name partner here. Harvey, this is my boyfriend Mitchell."

"Pleasure to meet you," Mitchell said, offering his free hand to Harvey.

He shook it. Strong handshake. A good sign of character, most of the time. "Right. Donna mentioned you're a doctor."

"Yeah. Obstetrician," Mitchell clarified. Harvey arched his eyebrows, pretending to be impressed. "I'm lucky Donna doesn't mind the crazy hours that come with the job."

Donna let out a laugh. It was clear she wanted to be gone as soon as possible, the way she was gathering her bag and coat.

"Are those for me?" She asked, motioning the flowers.

"Yeah, for your first week," Mitchell said with a smile.

"We have some crazy hours around here sometimes as well," Harvey said, unsure of why exactly he was prolonging the conversation. "You've been warned."

Mitchell laughed good-naturedly. "Nothing as bad as being called at 2 in the morning to deliver the mayor's son, I'm sure. Although it's a good thing we're friends. Just last week we had dinner with them, right, Sweetheart?"

Harvey narrowed his eyes at the exchange, while Donna nodded. Assessing Mitchell. He didn't appear to know his history with Donna, otherwise he wouldn't be so friendly. And yet here he was, clearly feeling threatened.

Harvey didn't feel threatened at all.

"That must have been an awkward dinner for the women," Harvey commented. Mitchell frowned slightly.

" _Right_ , we should go," Donna interrupted them, giving Harvey a pointed look. "I'll see you tomorrow, Harvey."

Harvey nodded at the both of them before seeing himself out. He was nearly at his office when he looked behind him and saw the two of them leaving for the elevator, holding hands.

He ignored the weird feeling in his chest.

—

The red roses sat between them in the back of the taxi, and Donna frowned when she realized they were not, in fact, on their way Carbone, where she had made a reservation earlier this week; the taxi made its way past the Central Park and she looked at Mitchell in question.

"You think I can't surprise you every now and then?" He asked, a little too proud of himself.

Donna laughed. Her heart was already beating hard against her chest.

She wasn't surprised when the taxi stopped in front of the brownstone she was becoming used to. All she could think when Mitchell opened the door of the car for her was that she didn't have her clothes into the house yet, or her things in general, or… anything, really. But she followed her boyfriend into the house, and she was surprised to see how differently it looked from the last time she had been here.

A long mirror decorated the hallway, and she could smell food and they didn't need to turn on the lights because she assumed the fireplace was on. Mitchell had a weird look on his face, and she followed him into the living room — seeing not only the fireplace on but many, many candles surrounding the place. The sofas they had chosen together just a few weeks ago looked great with the style of the house, and she noticed he had bought a painting she had particularly liked at an exposition a few months ago. She was completely speechless as she took in all this, and when she turned around to look at Mitchell, her heart skipped a beat.

Because he was standing on one knee holding a velvet box in his hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't hate me too much, we still don't know Donna's answer... Let me know what you think of the chapter! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so, so much for all the comments - they make my day, honestly. Hope you'll like this chapter too. There's a lot of filling the blanks but a very important scene too ;) let me know your thoughts!

 

**Chapter 4**

It was running a little past noon when Donna entered the restaurant. Rachel was already waiting for her and drinking something — water, she noted. Donna sighed inwardly. As much as she'd love something stronger, duty called.

Rachel smiled as she sat down.

"I know I'm a little late, sorry," she started. "Harvey and Louis were out and I had to handle a lot of the interns with Katrina."

"Yeah, you seem to have had a pretty rough morning," Rachel agreed.

A waiter arrived; Donna ordered her usual and listened as Rachel asked for something more risqué, as always. She felt a little fidgety, in a way. She had been able to avoid Rachel for the past two days and she didn't want to have to face questions she didn't have an answer to. But her friend clearly knew something was wrong, and Donna supposed she hadn't made it easy when she snapped at her right as she exited the elevator this morning.

It was a tense week. For the firm, with Mike's hearing approaching. For Louis, with his ongoing drama with Tara. And for Donna. She supposed.

"Everything okay?" Rachel asked when the waiter left them.

And Donna knew she couldn't very well lie to her best friend.

"Yeah. Well, almost," she confessed. "The house is ready."

Rachel gasped. "Really? Already? I can't wait to see how it is."

Donna took a sip of the water and arched her eyebrows. "Right. Mitchell's living there."

Rachel frowned. "And… you're not?"

"Nope. Not yet," Donna answered. "The logistics, ah… you know."

"Oh my god. You've got cold feet," Rachel deduced.

Donna made a face. "I'm the only one who's supposed to do that, okay? Jeez. Don't read me like that."

"But you are, aren't you?"

"He asked me to marry him," Donna spilled. She closed her eyes. "He took me to the house, it was finished. There was a bunch of candles, he had cooked, the ring was  _gorgeous_ ," she added, feeling a little ashamed of herself. "I couldn't… I froze. I asked him if I could think about it. I think I may have ruined us for that."

"Did he agree to give you some time?" Rachel asked softly.

Donna nodded. "Yeah, he said he understood. We're moving in together, Rachel. That's already so huge. I don't know why I froze."

Her friend gave her a sympathetic smile. "Not as huge as marriage. You can't go back from it. Well, there's divorce but no one goes into marriage thinking about that."

Donna made a face. "If you're a Kardashian maybe."

"Which you're not," Rachel said. "Thankfully."

Donna laughed. It was bittersweet. "I stood there, and it was beautifully decorated and perfect and I just… couldn't see myself there, in the future."

"I doubt you'll have ruined anything, Donna. Mitchell is crazy about you," Rachel continued. "How long have you got to figure it out?"

Donna pressed her lips together. "I asked for a few days. We've been talking," she clarified. "I just kept thinking… now we move in together. Then we marry. Then we have a couple of kids. I couldn't see it."

Understanding crossed Rachel's features. "You're thinking of ending it."

Donna nodded wordlessly.

"Donna, I know I'm not the best person to give this kind of advice because my fiancé went to jail and we're still not married," she tried to joke. "But I never had any doubts I wanted to be with Mike. Don't make a decision if you're in doubt. Ask for more time if necessary."

Donna smiled. "Thanks, Rach."

Rachel smiled back, her hand touching Donna's for a moment. "I don't mean to pry, Donna, I really don't. But does this have anything to do with—"

"It's nothing to do with Harvey," she interrupted at once. "We've been professional. It's… it's not that, Rachel. It's me."

Rachel nodded. Donna sighed, feeling overwhelmed by the short conversation already.

"Let's change subject. You ordered the shrimp," she narrowed her eyes. "What am I missing here? An outstanding article on how the shrimps here are to die for? I've been coming here for years, you know."

Rachel, surely enough when it came to food, started a long observation on the variety of seafood in the menu, and how the shrimp was indeed to die for. Donna was glad for the little bit of quiet in an otherwise eventful day.

Or week. But it was only Wednesday.

* * *

"You look thoughtful," Mike's voice shook him out of his reverie. "Hope that's not because of the bar hearing tomorrow."

It was an attempted joke; Harvey snickered. He knew the kid was nervous. Hell, he was kinda nervous as well.

"It'll be fine," Harvey mumbled into his glass.

It had been a week of hard work. First to get the leverage needed so Mike could have a shot at the Bar. Then Anita Gibbs. He knew he was neglecting the firm as it was, and the thought struck him. It had been a few weeks since Jessica left. They were nowhere near getting their footing back.

"Rachel says the firm's only functioning because of Donna," Mike commented. "I always knew she was an ace at her job, but I gotta say I'm impressed."

"She's the best there is," Harvey told him. "I'll have to thank her once this is all over."

"Yeah. Maybe take her to dinner or something," Mike suggested.

A little too innocently.

Harvey grinned. "Or something?" The kid shrugged. Harvey shook his head. "Nah, we're past that."

"Why didn't you work?" Mike asked.

A far too private question for such a heavy evening. Harvey sighed.

"We… rushed into things," he said simply. "She was my secretary. People didn't take her seriously. People didn't take  _me_  seriously. She wanted more, and I couldn't give that to her."

"What, a promotion? Marriage?" Mike asked.

Harvey pointed a finger at him. "That. Those two shouldn't be considered equal," he took another sip of his scotch. It was loosening his tongue. He could feel it. "She had a rule, before. No romance between coworkers. We broke that rule. We broke a lot of rules."

"And now?"

Harvey shook his head. "We've changed. She's got another guy. And I got everything I want."

Mike frowned. "Do you really?"

Harvey remembered seeing Donna holding hands with that guy last week. He ignored the weird feeling in his chest, once more, and smirked in Mike's direction.

"Hey, I got a law degree over here," he told him. "That's more than you do."

Mike places his hand over his heart. "Okay, that's low. I'm gonna go now."

Harvey laughed and watched as the kid left his office. He filled his tumbler with scotch, because why not? The firm was empty. No more work until morning. His jacket had been taken off hours ago and now hang on the back of his chair. He chose to watch the skyline — for once appreciating its beauty and not thinking about a case. They'd do what they had to do — he was confident they could win this. They had to.

The clicking of heels caught his attention, and he half turned to see Donna walking out of her office. Her eyes met his across the corridor — a long distance between them. He raised the glass towards her and swore he saw a smile on her face. It wasn't his fault that he kept looking and admired the way her hips swayed as she walked away. When she turned the corner, she was shaking her head — no doubt laughing because she knew he had been checking her out. He laughed too, unbridled and unexpectedly in the silence of his office.

It had been a while since he had laughed so freely before.

He buried that fact down.

* * *

Donna walked into Louis' office carrying many files, but she wasn't surprised to see him staring out the window. She put them on the table, the noise getting his attention finally. She gave him a look.

"So? How did Mike's hearing go?"

She had opted to stay behind at the firm; she had enough work to do with so many people absent, and she wouldn't be of any use to them despite giving Rachel her support, which her friend understood. She hadn't been there when Mike was arrested, or even hired. Her presence there was unnecessary. And maybe it wasn't necessary to the firm as of yet but she was sure trying to make it so.

And she didn't like the look on Louis' face. He looked too somber. Too serious. And no one else was back yet.

She made a face. "Oh, God, he didn't make it, did he?"

"No, well, we don't know yet," Louis replied, sitting on his chair now. "The committee is discussing it. Jessica showed up. Huge shock," he added. "She may have just saved him, but we won't know until they call. The others are on their way back."

Donna nodded, and couldn't help but worry about everyone's reaction if this didn't work. They had all put too much into this. Into  _Mike_.

And she loved the kid, she really did, but they could go on without him at the firm. And she really hoped Harvey could realize this, too.

"Those the Carlson files?" Louis asked after a moment. "Thanks, Donna. I don't know what we'd be doing lately without you."

She gave him a smile. "Let's hope you don't have to find that out again, right?"

Louis chuckled. Donna moved to leave, but there was something about him that didn't seem right. She pursed her lips, moving from the table towards his desk.

"Louis, is everything okay?"

He pursed his lips, then shook his head. "Not really. Tara and I… We got into a huge fight," he admitted. "She's deciding right now if we're gonna stay together."

Donna frowned, sitting on one of the visitor's chairs in front of Louis' desk. "What?"

He sighed. "Yeah. I told her some stuff, she reacted badly, I reacted badly. And then I tried to fix it, without success," he pursed his lips, hands fumbling with a pen. "She said she'd call when she had her decision."

"Louis, I'm so sorry."

"I guess maybe we did rush into things," he tried to reason, but it was clear he was barely keeping it together. "You know? I guess we needed to really be certain that's what we wanted."

Donna faltered slightly. It hit a little too close to home, suddenly, and she found herself imagining Mitchell alone in the house —  _their_ house — waiting for her to call. And she suddenly resolved she'd go to him tonight, even if she didn't have a decision about actual marriage yet. They could talk things through. She could explain her doubts. He was always so understanding of her past and her family issues, she suddenly knew he wouldn't mind waiting if she wasn't sure. This was… a non-issue, truthfully.

She felt sorry for Louis. He really couldn't do much right now. Like Mitchell.

Donna gave him a smile, reaching for his hand. "You were certain, Louis. Maybe she'll come around."

Louis nodded, his hand gripping hers firmly. "Yeah. The sooner, the better. I just want to know."

"Of course," Donna agreed. "You know where to find me when she calls."

Louis gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Thanks, Donna," she let go of his hand. His eyes went for the files she had just brought him. "And thanks for the files. I'll check them now. Better than just waiting."

"You're welcome, Louis," she replied.

With a deep breath, she left his office, thinking that perhaps this quick chat brought more comfort to her than to him.

* * *

Harvey drank the rest of his champagne glass, feeling quite satisfied with the evening. He sat beside Jessica in her old office, in front of her old desk. She had put herself on the line for Mike. The firm would suffer yet another blow. But the kid was a lawyer now. And Harvey smiled at seeing him talk so animatedly with Rachel and Donna at the other end of the room. It was a blow, and they'd face it when it came. Which would be soon.

But not tonight.

Jessica was looking at him with a weird expression on her face, to which Harvey frowned.

"Please don't joke about me being proud of my son," he muttered, placing his flute on the desk.

Jessica laughed. "Of your puppy, more like," she looked back at Mike. "Louis tells me you were the one who hired Donna."

He nodded. "Yeah. We ran into each other the night you left, actually," he explained. "It just… made sense."

"She looks like she belongs here. In this place, in this position," Jessica commented. "I'm glad you did this, Harvey. Five years ago you wouldn't have even considered such a thing."

"Things change."

"Puppies grow up," Jessica joked, making this clearly about him rather than Mike. "You're ready to handle this, Harvey. I wasn't sure before. I am now."

"What, because Donna's here?"

Jessica shook her head, rather enigmatic. Harvey could never read her these days. "Because you're both here. And you were always a good team."

He nodded at the indisputable fact.

"Don't ruin it this time, Harvey," Jessica said after a moment.

"Your firm?" He asked, unsure if he wanted an answer.

She arched her eyebrows. "It's yours now."

"Thanks, Jessica," Harvey said truthfully. "For everything."

She stood up then, a hand on his shoulder as she moved to talk to the others. Harvey watched as Donna greeted her, and he was reminded of galas and parties and charming up clients with those two by his side. Something clenched in his chest. A quick look to Mike was enough to make the younger man follow him as he exited Jessica's old office. They had a lot to talk about, and Harvey needed a drink — a proper one — to close the night.

He shared a drink with Mike, trying to reach an understanding in him working at the firm. Straight to the point and hopefully satisfactory on both sides, he accepted Mike's conditions, and when he left to look for Rachel so they could leave Harvey released his first relieved sigh since the day began. Things would change — things were already changing. The firm would be completely different, and he had a few challenges ahead. He looked around his office, vaguely wondering if this was his last opportunity to have a relaxing evening in it. Filling up his tumbler, deciding the firm was most likely empty now, he moved to his records, choosing one of his dad's firsts. One would think he would choose an upbeat song for the moment, but it wasn't like that. He chose a slow one, just to savor the evening, or what was left of it. It was nearing eleven, and he would have to go home soon if he wanted a full night's sleep and his head in the right place in the morning. He'd need to face Louis. They'd need to restructure the firm again. He might have to change offices. Jessica was really gone now.

He heard a knock on his glass door and turned around to see Donna walking slowly into his office. In the past she never knocked, and he would have liked it if she did. Now he didn't think he would mind. At all.

He gave her a smile and she approached him.

"You managed to lure Mike back to us?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

Harvey grinned. "Yes, I did."

"Did you accept all his terms and conditions?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, I did."

"So you are losing your office," she concluded.

Harvey made a face. "Maybe," he replied. "You want a drink?"

He saw her take a deep breath, and he already expected the refusal, as had been the case whenever he offered her anything remotely personal — a drink, a ride, lunch. It wasn't that he was trying to win her back; he knew it wasn't like that. They had both left pieces of themselves in each other and they both weren't past it. But he wanted this professional relationship to work. He wanted Donna as his partner here; Jessica's words floated back to his mind. They were a goddamn good team. The best in the city. And he was sure that if they could get that back, they'd be unbeatable.

"Yeah, sure. Just one."

He did a double take. Donna was admiring the picture on his wall again, not looking at him. He went to get another glass and she appeared interested in his office decoration. A step forward, he thought. Finally some success. If she was accepting a drink that meant she was more comfortable around him. That was a good thing.

For the firm.

He handed her the scotch; she accepted it with a graceful smile.

"You deserve a new office. This one's rather cluttered," she commented after the first sip.

Harvey snickered. "The assistants that came after you weren't as thorough."

Donna huffed. "No one's as thorough as me. You know that."

Her tone was sassy, and she gave him a side-eyed glance that made his throat knot a little. He knew just exactly how thorough she could be. In just about every aspect there was.

"I like the picture," she said with a smile. "I like this song, too."

Harvey leaned against his desk. "My parents would thank you."

"They're welcome," she arched her eyebrows, taking another sip of the scotch and turning towards him. "You want me around when you break the news to Louis that you'll be managing partner?"

"Some friendly support wouldn't be amiss," he agreed. "You sure I can handle this?"

Donna hummed. She moved from the corner to take a look at his records. He knew she appreciated his dad's music almost as much as he did. He wondered if she had listened to any of his songs for the past five years. And with her back turned, he took the opportunity to watch her. She was wearing a cream-colored dress with a flowy skirt that fit her perfectly — it was nicer than the dresses she used to wear. It seemed that with the years she had gotten even classier than she used to be. And that was saying something. The way her hair was waving down her shoulders made him want to reach out, but he buried that feeling down. He tore his eyes away from her, the room feeling smaller and hotter suddenly. He drank the rest of his scotch, rather impatiently. It was a distraction.

He circled his desk, appreciating the beat of the song, not minding the way Donna's fingers flickered through his records. If she were anyone else, he would have stopped them already.

A small laugh escaped her lips. Harvey leaned against the window and watched as she took a record out of the shelf and turned around to show it to him. It was his Miles Davis.

"I can't believe you didn't replace this one," she said, eyes twinkling slightly. Probably from the champagne and the scotch. She looked beautiful.

"How do you know it's the same as before?" Harvey smirked.

She gave him a look. "I  _know_  it's the same as before."

"Still can't believe you scratched it," he complained, but it was for show. And she knew it. And he knew she knew it.

"It was an accident!" She defended. Also for show. "You still listen to it a lot?"

He shrugged. Not as much as before. Only when he particularly missed her. Twice he chose it without the scratch in mind and ended up losing sleep over her. It hadn't been long since the last time he listened to it. It was the day after he saw her singing at Joseph's bar.

She put the record back on the shelf. The song that was playing stopped, leaving them in silence for a while. She turned towards him, walking slowly to his desk and leaning slightly against it. Just two steps from him. She drank the last of her scotch. Another song started playing. This one a little more animated. He had a distant memory of them dancing to this specific song. In this very office.

Donna put her tumbler on the desk beside her and met his eye. She was thinking of that dance too. He was sure of it.

Harvey cleared his throat.

"So you support me as managing partner," he said, just to make sure.

Donna nodded. "Yeah. Well, I've been managing most things lately, actually, but I'm not a partner so my first choice is impossible."

He gave her a look. "Your first choice would be yourself?"

She nodded again, unashamedly so. "Don't you agree that would be the best choice?"

Harvey tilted his head. She still had that mischievous look in her eyes. In the low light of his office, they looked more hazel than ever. "I'm not gonna disagree with that."

"Good. So you agree we don't need to change a whole lot besides your office."

There was a sudden challenge in her eyes. And then it clicked.

"Damn. You're the real managing partner, aren't you?"

She moved her shoulders a little, feigning modesty. He couldn't help but let out a laugh at this. She laughed too.

"It'll make things easier when your office is next to mine. For signatures and everything," she explained.

"Like you still don't know how to forge mine."

Donna made a face. "That's such a distasteful word."

He laughed again. And blamed the alcohol for his loose humor.

"You remember when we won the McKinley case?" He found himself asking next.

Donna put her hands behind her on the desk. Her dress was classy but it still had room for cleavage. And that was so damn distracting. She hummed her reply.

"We drank a whole bottle that night," she continued, eyes moving around as if to remember the evening. "Jessica helped."

He huffed. "Jessica had one drink, tops. You were wasted."

Donna gasped. "I was not! I hadn't had anything to eat yet," she defended. "You weren't any better than me."

"Ray took us to the first place that was open, that shitty Thai place, remember?" Harvey said.

"It's not shitty, I still love their food," she commented.

"Think we ate what was left of their food that night," Harvey said, shaking his head.

Donna nodded in agreement. "Then we went back to your place, and you decided to have one more drink."

"And you fell asleep on me."

"No,  _you_  fell asleep on me."

Harvey rolled his eyes. "Donna, you were literally on top of me. You fell asleep first."

"Fine, I might have."

They were a mess, he remembered. Just two drunks who were high on victory. She fell asleep on top of him, before even managing to take off her bra. He wasn't a much better cause. They cured the hangover by having sex in the shower the next morning. He remembered that vividly. Her wet hair draped over her shoulders. Her hands on the tiles of his shower. His hands gripping her hips as they smacked against his. Her gaze holding his, right here, right now.

He cleared his throat again. He thought he saw her swallow drily from her spot in front of him.

"You want another drink?" He asked, standing up straight and reaching for the tumbler next to her on the desk.

"No, thank you," she replied, her voice wavering slightly. "I should get going."

He picked the glass, and met her eye before he could turn around. They were closer than they had ever been since she got back. There was a pause. He felt something electric on the base of his neck. Her breathing faltered. He  _noticed_. She still didn't look away, and neither did he. He felt her hand on his tie, pulling him closer, and a succession of things happened in the space of a second — the tumbler fell to the floor, and his lips met hers in an open-mouthed kiss.

Harvey felt drunk on her — her perfume and the smell of her hair, so close to him now. He stepped between her legs and his hands found a familiar place on her waist — her own hands gripped his shoulder with strength, and damn she tasted even better than he remembered. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he just knew he didn't want to stop. He  _couldn't_ stop. Not when she kept attempting to bring him closer, not when they had to pull away to catch their breaths and she moaned when she felt his lips sucking below her ear, just the way he knew she liked it. And he did it so automatically — it was like he had never stopped doing this to her.

"Harvey," he heard her whisper, a needy, quiet sound.

He groaned. She widened her legs. His hands met at her lower back and he tried to bring her even closer. She yelped, a hand tugging at his tie. He moved his hips a little, biting at where her neck met her shoulder. Another moan escaped her lips. He quieted her with another kiss, feeling her hands on his jaw and then fingers running down his chest. He still remembered how she liked to tease him, and he still remembered how good it felt to be inside her, and one of his hands cupped a breast…

A loud noise reached his ears, and Harvey pulled away, immediately looking through the glass wall. No one appeared to be around, but he could still hear steps. When he looked at Donna again, the moment had been broken. She was catching her breath, eyes roaming around the windows behind him, fingers wiping at her now red-colored lips. He took a step back, letting out a shaky breath. She hopped off his desk and smoothed down her dress. A young associate passed by the office then, carrying a bunch of files; Harvey doubted the guy even noticed them inside.

"I'm gonna go," Donna said quietly, not meeting his eye. "This was— We shouldn't—"

Damn it. She was still with that guy. The doctor.

Harvey nodded, not in the mood to hear her reasoning. "Uh, Ray's already downstairs. Just ask him to take you home."

"There's no need—"

"I'm not gonna leave like this, he may as well take you home now," Harvey said, trying to ignore the tightening in his pants. "It's late. Just take the goddamn car, Donna. Please."

She stepped further away from him, every inch feeling like a whole new nightmare. Maybe it was the  _please_ that did it, but she walked away briskly a second later, and he couldn't even bring himself to look at her back like he had been prone to. With a shaky breath, he sat on his chair, closing his eyes; he could still feel the smell of her shampoo in his nostrils and the weight of her hands on his shoulders.

"Goddamnit," he muttered to himself.

Just when things were looking bright again.

This was not good.

* * *

She talked to Ray through the whole ride, silently thanking Harvey for it. If the driver noticed she looked out of breath and her skin was a little rosy, he didn't mention it. But as they reached her apartment and she bid goodbye to the driver, the unmistakable tightening that coiled in her lower belly was still very much present. She was dying for a shower. She felt as if she was walking around marked by Harvey Specter.

Well. His saliva had already dried around her neck.

She just felt… confused. Her mind was a mess. She could blame it on the alcohol, and the celebrations, and just her current state of mind. What haunted her the most was that if he hadn't stopped it, she wouldn't have. Maybe she'd still be there, in that office. Harvey's latest conquer, one could call it. But it was more than that, and they both knew it. And that was exactly why she couldn't find any excuse to surrender herself to him like that. Out of nowhere. Just a few weeks after agreeing to work together.

It was a mess.

She opened the door to her apartment and flickered on the light in the hallway; she felt as if his cologne was still on her, and a hand on her neck confirmed that she might find a bruise there in the morning. She was about to turn left towards her bedroom when she noticed a figure by the window.

"Mitchell," Donna said, unprepared. She couldn't hide her surprise.

"That's a nice car that got you home. Lexus?" He said, still leaning against the wall. "Thought I'd surprise you. Guess I did."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna try to update last week but I got a serious case of pre-season 9 writer's block, and then a lot of editing was done in this chapter, hopefully for the better! Thanks so so so much Bia for all the help :') and thank you so much for everyone who's taken the time to leave a comment - it really means a lot! Hope you'll like this one as well. :)

 

Donna smiled as Rachel and Mike bid them goodbye, leaning back on the couch and accepting the champagne that Jessica was offering. She and Jessica had always had a good relationship — not quite a close friendship, but a friendship nonetheless. There was mutual respect, and for that Donna had always been thankful for. Even if she knew Jessica hadn't quite approved her previous relationship with Harvey, fearing it might take a negative reflex on his career, she hadn't imposed them in any way. And she had grown to appreciate Donna as an assistant — so much so that when she turned in her resignation, Jessica had told her there would always be a spot for her at Pearson Hardman —  _with_   _Pearson._

"That was huge thing you did," Donna commented. "It might have cost your career here."

Jessica shook her head. "It probably will. Just don't let it cost the firm."

Donna tilted her head. "I'll try not to. It's not just up to me."

"There's more to life than the firm," she told her softly. "Took me a while to figure it out. Try not to let it consume you."

Donna snickered. "We do have a lot of bad examples around here about that."

"I'm glad you're back, Donna," Jessica said. "I don't think I need to tell you the amount of shit that happened around here while you were away."

Donna laughed. Maybe the champagne was getting to her already.

"Nope," she agreed, arching her eyebrows. "I mean, we all know Harvey was clueless without me, but I think hiring a fraud takes the cake."

Jessica shook her head. "Please. If you were around you'd have encouraged him."

"Yeah. Maybe," Donna smiled. "We'll never know, really. And even if I had stayed… we weren't in a good place then."

"I figured as much," Jessica replied, a rather cautious look on her face. "He wasn't himself for a good while after you left. I suspect part of him never returned."

Donna rolled her eyes, taking another sip. "We all leave some part of ourselves in a relationship."

"I think he lost his part instead of just leaving it," Jessica continued, tossing Donna a stern look. "Just be gentle with him, Donna. We all know no one can handle him better than you, but you're also the one who can hurt him the most."

The words stayed with her, and Donna found herself nodding rather robotically. Jessica was never one to meddle into personal lives, but Harvey was like a little brother to her — or a surrogate son. She was his mentor, and she looked after him; Donna had always liked that about her. It occurred to her that this was probably the first time they were doing this — drinking and talking without Harvey. Being his girlfriend and secretary could be confusing to some clients and in certain events, but Jessica always dealt with it well. Donna didn't think she judged them too hard; she couldn't truly call her a friend but she could call her an ally. At least where Harvey was concerned. Loyalty to the same person left them in the same team.

Donna wasn't sure if they were in the same team anymore — not if she took Jessica's words to heart.

"I'll get going," Jessica said with a smile.

"Have a good trip to Chicago," Donna offered, though her mind was elsewhere.

"If you're ever sick of this town, give me a call," Jessica said, winking.

Donna laughed. "You'll be the first to know."

She watched as Jessica's silhouette disappeared down the hallway. When she thought about the snippets of loose information she had, it wasn't so hard to make a few connections. Her leaving, hiring Mike, seeing a therapist. She thought back to what she chose to do with her life then — in a new job, redecorating her apartment, throwing some memories of them out. Most of them still on her mind. Not once did Harvey look for her, after she left his apartment that evening. And she thought she was past this, but the hurt she felt was suddenly so raw in her heart that it might as well have been yesterday.

It was definitely the booze's fault.

She filled her flute with the remaining content of the bottle and leaned back on the couch. Everything was silent. She was pretty sure she was the only one left on the floor.

She drank a rather big amount of champagne in that first sip. The memories would always be there. And the bad ones sometimes became more prominent. She could see clearly how she took suitcases and items out of his apartment and how all his things at hers filled a small box that she handed to Ray. She remembered rather lonely nights in his condo, his meeting her parents — dreadful dinners, those ended up being — a few dates interrupted because of the job, the judgmental stares of those who only saw their relationship through the surface. Harvey had always ignored them, and she had tried to, but it was hard. Five years later, she sometimes had to deal with people who remembered her solely as Harvey's girlfriend turned secretary.

She was more. She had always been more. And she wanted more too — personally, professionally. She had wanted all of him, but he could never give that to anyone.

And now, looking back, she wondered if she had indeed given all of herself. Communication was never their best trait. That wasn't only his fault.

Still, she remembered good things as well, and she sniffed slightly at the thought — him slipping in bed beside her late in the night, his warmth surrounding her instantly. She still remembered how soft his hair was when she ran her fingers through it, and how his eyes crinkled when he smiled just for her. She remembered late night rides going home from the theater and falling asleep on his shoulder. Ice skating once on a Saturday afternoon, when Harvey fell on his bottom and she laughed for a week about it. The awful family dinners, and how they made fun of them later. Late nights in the office, that one time they ended up having sex in the file room because it was late and they were alone and they just wanted to be so damn close to each other. Shared baths, his hands on her breasts and his kisses on her neck. Dancing with him at events, because he couldn't care less if people thought he was wrong to date his secretary. He'd rub it in their faces, because he was proud to call her his girlfriend, his secretary.  _His_.

Donna downed the rest of the champagne. Her phone vibrated on the coffee table.

A call from Mitchell.

She just stared at the screen. She had called him earlier, after her talk with Louis; she wanted to just give him an answer because he deserved one, no matter the outcome. If she was to be engaged, so be it. And if he could understand that she didn't want the commitment, then great. That was what she had thought when she called him, anyway. But now… now she was positive she didn't want to talk to Mitchell.

A song suddenly echoed in the empty hallways. Donna closed her eyes. She knew the song. Her head felt a little light and she registered that it was one of her favorite songs from that album. And she missed listening to it. She put the now empty flute on the table and stood up. A quick look down the hall was enough to confirm her suspicious. She could see Harvey's silhouette by the window in his office.

She made her way down the hall. Just to chat.

Her phone stayed behind.

Talking to Harvey was always tentative these days; like there was a tension behind every word, like he tiptoed around her so she wouldn't just run away. She felt he didn't totally understand why she left in the first place, and part of her wanted them to work through these things even now, five years later. Theirs was never just a simple break-up. Their relationship took a lot from them, both of them, and she knew he wasn't ready then, and she thought that maybe she hadn't been ready either.

Still, it felt good to walk around his office a little like she used to — like she owned the place. To listen to his dad's albums, to hear him complain about her scratching his Miles Davis. To talk about old times freely, because she hadn't been able to talk about those days with anyone ever since. He was the one who had been there. He was the one who had  _understood_.

And when he had mentioned the McKinley case — of course he had to mention it. Their first big win at Pearson Hardman, mere weeks after arriving there. So early in their relationship. She remembered they were still finding out new things about each other; she remembered him finding out she was ticklish that very next morning. Before they had sex in his shower. She remembered she still had slight bruises from his hands gripping her hips for days afterwards, and every time she had looked in the mirror and seen them she had felt a thrill that only Harvey had been able to get to her.

Five years later, none of her following boyfriends had been able to achieve such a thing; when he got closer, and she felt the scent of his cologne and remembered all the times she had been able to take off that tie and vest and have him — she couldn't hold back.

The realization that five years later she still  _wanted_ him wasn't that surprising. He was attractive — the son of a bitch was even more handsome now than before — plus the fact that he was attracted, and so was she; what they had, the electricity that ran through them, between them, the thrill she felt every time he touched her — that was beyond her control. Mitchell was the furthest thing to her mind at that moment.

But they were interrupted and only when she was catching her breath inside Harvey's car, listening to Ray's news, she realized she hadn't been the one to stop it. He had.

And that told her more about herself than it did about him.

* * *

Donna flickered on the light of the living room, putting her bag on the sofa. Mitchell was still looking outside, arms crossed. His face was unreadable. Which was enough to give her a feeling of the situation.

"That's Harvey's car. He had to work late and his driver was already outside, so he offered that his driver get me home," she said, in answer to his question about the car.

"That's very generous of him."

Donna nodded. "Yeah. And I've known his driver for a while. He's a good man."

"He waited for you to get inside the building before he drove away," Mitchell commented, his tone a little too light. "Glad you've got people looking out for you."

The comment was too resigned to have any bite to it. It struck her harder if it had been said maliciously.

"I'm sorry if I worried you by not calling you back," she said softly, leaning against the couch. "It's been a busy day."

"Good day?"

She nodded after a moment of hesitation. "Yeah. Mike and Rachel got in the Bar today."

"That's great," Mitchell said with a tight smile. "Send my congratulations to them."

"I will."

The distance between them was louder than ever. And Donna couldn't bring herself to pretend — that everything was fine, that she missed him, that she couldn't still feel Harvey's hands on her body and his cologne in her clothes. And it scared her that she didn't even feel guilty about it.

"I thought I'd come over to make sure you were okay," Mitchell commented, scratching the back of his neck. He did that when he was nervous. Come to notice it, his hair looked a little disheveled too. Like he had ran his fingers through it too many times. "Then I realized… you never even started to box things up. For the move."

It was the end for them.

That realization came with a certain clarity.

It wasn't because of the lack of boxes.

She had thought she really loved Mitchell, but now she was sure she wasn't in love with him. A future with him would be comfortable and content, she was pretty sure, but she was Donna — she didn't settle. She  _wouldn't_  settle.

"I thought it was because of the new job," he shrugged. "It's more than that, isn't it?"

"It put things in a new perspective," Donna said honestly.

She had met Mitchell right before leaving Rand, Kaldor and Zane. He had been with her through her MBA classes and getting her yoga certificate and the small gigs at the theater she took as a hobby. He had supported her and he had offered everything he could. And she realized that he was safe for her — during a time where so many things were uncertain. Her career, and her unemployment, and her studies, and yet he had been in her heart, but she thought that maybe… maybe she had just been a little lost. Stuck in a limbo. And now she was back at Pearson Specter Litt and she didn't feel lost anymore. A future with Mitchell would be okay. But she wouldn't settle for  _okay_.

And maybe kissing Harvey was the one thing that helped her make sense of how her heart was now that she wasn't so lost anymore.

She wasn't a cheater. She never had been. And she had no intention of starting now.

But the moment with Harvey brought her more clarity towards her relationship with Mitchell than towards her own tentative relationship with Harvey himself.

"Did that Harvey guy help, with the perspectives?" Mitchell asked offhandedly. His tone was cold. Almost detached. Almost. "He's the ex you used to work with, isn't he?"

Donna frowned. "It's not like that."

"But he's the ex, right?" He continued. "You never talk about him. You mention everyone but him. You just… say his name differently. His car brings you home. Don't deny it, Donna."

She let out a deep breath. "I never told you because it was a good opportunity. We're both professionals," her tone wavered a little at the last sentence. She wouldn't lie to Mitchell, but she could omit things; she wasn't ready to face her own actions yet, let alone tell them to her soon to be ex-boyfriend. "This isn't about Harvey. It's about us, about me. And how I cannot lie to myself and to you."

"Your answer is no," he deduced.

Donna stared at her feet and nodded. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"I remember what you told me, about your ex," Mitchell said quietly. "You said he put work above everything. That he wasn't emotionally available. That you had wanted more."

Donna looked around, a little uncomfortable. She had never told him the details, but he knew enough.

"We both made mistakes in the past," she admitted. "I'm not ending this to run to him, Mitchell."

"Aren't you?"

He held her gaze, unwavering. After a moment, he nodded.

"I hope you're smart enough not to make the same mistakes again," he said, and a weird tightening settled on her chest. Doubt. She shook her head; this was of no concern to him.

Not anymore.

"I'm sorry, Mitchell."

He pursed his lips. "Me too, Donna."

They stared at each other for a moment — she remembered that she had loved his blue eyes earlier in their relationship. She didn't mind it when he had to leave for an emergency, felt proud that he was so successful, liked it that he took her to fancy restaurants and introduced her to important people and liked the theater almost as much as she did but there was never a challenge with him. Things were easy — and they'd have continued to be easy. And she simply wouldn't settle for that.

He was the one who broke eye contact to reach for something in his pocket. The keys to her apartment. He closed the distance between them to hand them back to her. Their hands touched for a second and she felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.

The numbness towards Mitchell only reminded her how she had felt when Harvey had touched her. She didn't like the comparison. Not right now.

"I got here today straight from the townhouse," Mitchell said softly. "I walked in and realized you've not put much of yourself there. This place is you. You never truly committed to that place, besides financially."

It wasn't a conscious decision. But she had noted it herself a few weeks ago.

"I guess we were both blind to that for a while," Donna said.

He nodded.

"I'll have my lawyer contact you about me buying your share," he said slowly.

She nodded. "Thank you, Mitchell. I wish you happiness. I hope you know that."

He cleared his throat.

"Take care, Donna."

He walked away. A year and a half, a marriage proposal, and they parted with a quick touch of hands. Donna let out a sigh. A quick touch of hands and it felt enough. The door closed and she closed her eyes in sync, feeling relieved by this closure and confused about whatever would happen next. Running a hand through her hair, she left the extra set of keys on the coffee table and decided a shower and sleep would give her what she needed to clear her thoughts.

It had been a long day.

* * *

Harvey got off the elevators and took the long route towards his office, passing by Donna's purposefully. It was the middle of the morning and he had had two tense meetings already. As the new managing partner, he had to see her. No other reason behind it. The fact that he couldn't shake off the weird tightening in his chest since the day before couldn't be a good sign, but he had it under control. It was all good.

His jaw tightened when he realized her office was empty just before he had reached the door, though.

Looking around the hall, he spotted Rachel walking towards him with many files in her arms. She met his eye, and he spoke.

"Where's Donna?"

He didn't mean to sound so angry, not really. He was just… impatient. Why the hell hadn't she arrived yet? She always arrived before him. Sometimes she even teased him about it. He had been working since 8 am and she wasn't in his office yet.

He could only hope this had no relation to what happened between them last night.

"Uh… she has class this morning. Same as every week," Rachel replied with a frown. "I'm sure she'll be back right after lunch."

He nodded and walked away, leaving a bewildered Rachel behind. Of course, her classes. She would be finishing them pretty soon, he thought, but he hadn't been in the firm long enough during work hours to know her schedule. He just knew he had allowed it, so he couldn't complain about it; but he needed his COO if he wanted to make this transition to managing partner easy.

That was the only reason he needed to see her.

Still, he spent the rest of the day at the firm — closing deals and having meetings and trying to get the hang of the managing part he was supposed to have. It led to a fidgety day, he wasn't gonna lie; he had snapped at Mike twice and he couldn't have helped it because the kid and his morals were so damn frustrating. Noon came and went and Donna hadn't arrived yet. His mood did not get any better.

At around four in the afternoon, anger was about to turn into panic mode, until he spotted the unmistakable red hair walking past his office, without so much as a look towards him.

Relief filled his chest. She wasn't gone. She was right there. She hadn't left, she had simply been… late. And actively avoiding him, it seemed.

He stood up from his chair a few minutes, feeling calmer now. But the anger was still there. The frustration was still there. He needed to talk to her.

Leaving the files he had been looking over on his desk, he marched his way to Donna's office. Maybe this morning he would have knocked softly and approached things slowly, but after several hours of nothing, he felt his nerves just about ready to collapse.

So he simply walked in, straight to business.

"I see if you've finally graced us with your presence."

Her head shot up from the documents she had been reading. She looked guilty.

"Harvey, hi," she said, a little too guarded. "I'm sorry, I told Louis I would be running late. I'll work late this evening, so it's not a big deal."

"I thought we had agreed I was managing partner now," Harvey told her, approaching her desk but not sitting down. "So you should have told me, instead of Louis."

"Technically I should have told HR," she narrowed her eyes. "Did you need something, Harvey?"

His mind was blank, but only for a second.

"I just want a smooth transition here, that's all," he said at last, looking around, feeling suddenly tired. It was his first time actually noticing her office's decoration. It was elegant and discreet and yet full of her personality. It was so Donna he felt a little trapped.

"Right. So you have talked to Louis about you being managing partner?"

He pursed his lips. "Not yet."

"Why not?"

Her eyes didn't leave his, and he didn't reply right away. He felt tired, and impatient, and just overall done with today.

"I just haven't had the time yet."

"Louis isn't in a great mood and this wouldn't help it, but I feel like the sooner the better, Harvey."

"Why is he in a mood anyway?"

"He broke up with Tara, so he isn't in a good place right now."

"Do I look like I care about his love life?" Harvey rolled his eyes.

"Sit down, Harvey," her tone had an edge to it.

He did as he was told. He really felt just about ready to burst.

"He's just lost his fiancée, so let's not take him away from the managing just yet, then," she continued. "We can do that tomorrow."

Harvey nodded.

"He won't oppose you. You know that," she sighed, leaning against her chair. She was wearing a black dress and her hair was wavy. There was a weariness to her that told him she was having a long day as well. You couldn't spend years with a person and not notice some of her quirks. "That said, I do need some things to talk to you about."

Harvey pursed his lips. "If this is about last night…"

"It's not," she interrupted him, not meeting his eye. "Louis has been snapping at the associates. Rachel brought the issue to me just now. I'll try to see how the situation is but I think I should be the one handling them."

"Okay."

Donna frowned. "Okay?"

Harvey nodded.

"You're not gonna give me crap about me not being a lawyer to begin with?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I know you're capable of this, you'll have no objections from me."

"Good," she gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I'll see how it goes. Louis just needs some time off, I think."

"Okay. I'll, uh, ask Gretchen to arrange a meeting with your assistant," he said, motioning to stand up.

"There's something else," Donna started. She was changing the colors of her pen, looking a little nervous. Harvey sat back. "A few weeks ago you mentioned I should be partner."

He couldn't remember, not with the whirlwind the last few weeks had been, but he nodded anyway.

"I told you I didn't have the means to do that," she continued. "Well, I will have. In a few days."

Harvey narrowed his eyes. "Okay…"

"I want a seat at the table, Harvey," she said resolutely. "I'm not expecting my name on the wall, I know I'm not a lawyer, but I want to have a vote. I hope I can count on you to back me up when Louis questions it. Because he  _will_  question it."

"I'll have your back," Harvey told her. "No question about it."

If she wanted a seat at the table, it meant she was here to stay. He felt a flutter in his stomach at the thought.

"I just… don't want whatever has happened between us to have any say in this," Donna continued. "This is my career I'm talking about. I expect your respect towards it."

"You got it, you know that."

"I sure hope so," Donna said with a sigh, letting go of the pen. "I mean it, Harvey," she took a deep breath, "about our past and… last night."

"I'm here, and I respect you," Harvey told her in a low voice. The doors were closed but he had had her for a secretary for years and he wasn't sure if she was allowing her own assistant to listen in on conversations. "I didn't think…"

"We both didn't. It's fine," she interrupted him again, giving him a small smile. "Thank you, Harvey."

A dismissal if he had ever heard one. So he merely nodded and stood up, closing the door behind him and feeling her eyes on the back of his neck. He nodded at an associate that was walking around and made his way back to his office, feeling a little lighter than before. He'd make sure Louis accepted Donna into the table.

It was the least he could do for her.

Especially if it meant she'd stay.

* * *

It was late and he was on his way out when he passed by her office; she was getting ready to leave. His steps faltered and he made a split decision to pay her a quick visit, because through the day he couldn't stop thinking about the goddamn situation they had put themselves in last night.

So he pushed through the door, this time giving the glass two quick knocks to make his presence known.

Donna was standing up, putting her laptop in her bag, and gave him a small smile upon seeing him.

"It's late," Harvey said, unsure of how to say what he needed to say.

"Yes, well… the managing partner was giving me a hard time this afternoon," Donna said with a crooked smile. "I figured some overtime wouldn't hurt."

"You looking to impress him?" He couldn't resist the temptation of a banter.

Donna laughed. "I think he's impressed enough."

He laughed too. She had always had a knack for saying the right things to relax him.

"I'm sorry about snapping," he said at last. "I got… worried that you weren't coming back, and I reacted badly."

Donna frowned. "Why wouldn't I come back?"

He shook his head, eyes meeting his feet instead of her own; five years of therapy and he still had trouble saying the words.

"You left once," he found his voice. He didn't mean to accuse her; it was merely an observation. He raised his head and looked at her. Her eyes were cautious, her whole stance was guarded. They both had hearts to protect. He knew that. "I'm really glad you're here, Donna."

That made her smile. "I'm glad I'm here too, Harvey."

"And I'm sorry," he started again, "about last night, I've been, uh, thinking about it all day. It only just occurred to me that you're in a relationship after…"

"I'm not," Donna interrupted him, "Not anymore, anyway."

"Shit, Donna, I'm sorry," Harvey mumbled, running a hand through his hair.

She waved her hand awkwardly. "Don't be. It had nothing to do with last night. Or… it wasn't  _just_  that. It just wasn't right."

"You okay?"

A moment passed. She tilted her head. "Yeah. I'm okay."

He held her gaze. It felt good to be honest — or at least the most he could do right now. Communication had always been their failure, and he was adamant that wouldn't happen this time around. It wasn't as if he was expecting this to happen, or even hoping it would, but relief flooded through his body upon discovering she was no longer with the doctor. She was single, and so was he.

He tried to ignore the thrill that came with this information.

"So… shall we go?" Donna broke the moment. "It  _is_  late, like you've said."

"Yeah, sure," he put his hands in his pockets, allowing her to exit the office before him. He couldn't help but notice the way the black dress clung to her body, the way the strategic cuts on her torso kept the garment decent but still teasing. "Unless you wanna grab a drink somewhere."

She looked at him over her shoulder. "A drink?"

"Scotch? My office," he continued with a wink.

Donna laughed, but kept walking towards the elevators. The firm was empty; no one could be seen at this point.

"I know what you're trying to get, Specter," she said, her voice light. "And that's not gonna happen."

"What?"

"Last night? Scotch, me, you."

"Hey, if someone hears you they might get the wrong notion," he teased her.

Donna let out a laugh, then bit her lip. The movement was enough to hypnotize him.

"Big Bertha used to say that was your move, remember?"

Harvey snickered. "I do remember. You never fell for that, anyway."

"Nope. I fell for the guy, not the move," Donna said. Their eyes met. She blushed slightly. "Not that  _that_  will happen again."

She looked away. His shoulders fell, ever so slightly. Harvey realized they were standing in front of the elevators but hadn't pressed the button. He stepped around her, one hand still in his pocket, and called the elevator. The silence was loud between them. Luckily for them, it arrived quickly, from the fortieth floor, and just as he was about to step back and let her get in first, he felt her hand in his sleeve.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "I just… I never know how to act around you, Harvey."

It pained him to hear that; it pained him to realize it was the same for him, towards her. They were almost strangers now — strangers who knew a lot about each other. He didn't know what her hobbies were nowadays; she didn't know where he trained anymore. He wasn't even sure if she still lived in the same apartment she did before. He wasn't sure how her family was doing, or if she still kept in touch with some of their old friends. Five years changed a lot in both of them.

It didn't change what he felt about her, though. Of that he was certain.

"I know what you mean," he nodded, pursing his lips.

She let go of his sleeve to enter the elevator and he followed. Silence was heavy between them; he wasn't sure of where they stood. He couldn't bear the awkwardness. He thought back to a time where she was his best friend, the person he laughed with, the one person in the world he could be silent with and still feel comfortable. Donna hadn't been his first girlfriend by any means, not even his first serious one, but the truth of the matter was that the ones who came after her were nothing but a shadow of what could have been. He hadn't treated her the way she should have been treated back then — he had been negligent and stuck in their relationship, unable to move ahead emotionally. He didn't want that now. He didn't want what they had already tried.

He wanted  _more_.

The elevator signaled their arrival on the ground floor and he followed Donna out, eyes never meeting hers.

"I don't know how to act around you, either," he revealed, her steps faltering slightly. "It's, uh, frustrating."

Donna let out a laugh. "Yes, it is."

"So... let's talk more," he suggested, following her through the revolving doors.

He missed the frown on her face as she processed his words.

"I'm gonna, um, make an effort," Harvey continued. "These last few weeks have been hectic. I'll be more present at the firm now."

Donna stopped in front of him, turning around to properly look at his face. Holding her bag in both hands, she appeared a little anxious, but smiled.

"Alright."

"Alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Let's talk more. Get rid of the awkwardness."

"Deal," he said with a triumphant smile. He spotted Ray pulling over in the black Lexus just in front of them. "Hey, take the car tonight."

Donna made a face. "Harvey…"

"Yesterday was a matter of necessity," he interrupted her. "Today is a peace offering. Take it."

She looked to the car and then back to him, clearly torn. At last, she shrugged, and before he knew it her lips were on his cheek. It was so fast he didn't have time to properly react; she stepped away before he could do anything.

"Thanks, Harvey," she said with a smile, turning around and leaving.

He shared a quick look with Ray and nodded at her when she got in; with his hands in his pocket, he watched as his driver drove away the woman of his dreams. She was in good hands, and that was enough for now.

Harvey Specter played to win.

She was so much more than a game, though.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra long chapter for Suits day! Hope everyone likes it. This chapter kind of covers episodes 701 and 702, but it's definitely not going to follow canon as it is - it'll just kind of go through the most important things happening at the firm, so you don't really have to rewatch it to get it. Hope everyone likes this chapter - gotta say the next one will be a very important one ;) thanks for reading!

 

It wasn't supposed to go like this.

The conversation was supposed to be civilized; it should have happened after Harvey showed up and told Louis he was managing partner now. It definitely shouldn't be all at once, because Louis was in a mood and he wouldn't take any of the news lightly. Donna had been sure of it the day before.

The problem was that she, too, was in a mood. The restless in her didn't settle — not after she broke up with Mitchell, or after she told Harvey she wanted to be partner. It didn't settle even when she met with Mitchell's lawyer about him buying her share. It definitely did not help when Harvey was out all day doing God knows what — as usual too busy out of the firm to care about what was happening on the inside.

She had tried to keep it low, let Louis do his thing, then arrange a quick meeting between the three of them; when she saw his snap yet again at the associates, however, she couldn't stand still anymore.

"As of this moment, you're no longer in charge of the associates."

The words echoed in the walls of the restroom. She'd stay firm. She could handle it.

The mad gleam in Louis' eyes told her he couldn't.

"You can't do that. You have no authority," was his instant reply.

"Yes, I can."

"You're our COO, Donna. As far as I know, you don't get to tell me what to do."

"If it's damaging the firm, yes, I get to do that," Donna told him seriously. "As of last night, I'm also a partner."

"Partner?" he spat. "You're not even a lawyer. I didn't agree with this!"

"I don't care whether you agreed to it or not, you're gonna live with it."

"And I don't give a shit what your supposed title is, I'm not giving up my associates, especially not for you."

" _Especially_  not for me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Donna frowned.

"Please. Harvey's been dying to sleep with you since he saw you again," Louis replied. "He'll do anything you want him to until that happens. But I didn't agree with this, and I won't."

He made to leave, but Donna stood in front of him.

"If you think you're gonna leave this bathroom without giving me the respect I deserve—"

"I'm not giving up my associates," Louis interrupted her. "And if you think I'm gonna let you tell me what to do just because Harvey's waiting for you to open your legs for him again, I swear to God—"

There wasn't enough time for the word to truly impact her, because Harvey's voice resonated through the restroom just as she was processing it.

"That's enough."

Of all the opportunities for Harvey to show up, it just had to be now.

Louis recovered faster. "Harvey, what the hell kind of shit did you pull?"

Harvey stopped right beside her. Donna didn't bring herself to look at him. Louis' words hit too low, even for him, and a part of her knew he wasn't completely wrong, and it made her doubt herself all of sudden. That just wasn't something she did often — as a rule, Donna simply had faith in herself. Always.

Unless Harvey was involved.

It hurt to admit that to herself.

"Shut up and listen, Louis," the harshness in Harvey's voice pulled her back to the conversation. "Donna asked for a seat at the table and I gave her one, because when she worked for me, she had my back and would kill anyone coming for me. She'll do the same for the firm, and let's be honest, this place would be a pile of rubble within 15 minutes if she left tomorrow."

"Then you don't make her goddamn senior partner, you give her a raise!" Louis said. "If Jessica were here, she'd tell you to do the same exact thing."

"Jessica isn't here, but I am," Harvey said promptly, "and I'm saying our first order of business is putting out word that Harvey Specter is the new managing partner. Now, you want to vote on that? Let's do it. Partners are all here. But if it's not unanimous, we're gonna have a big problem."

He was looking at her now — she felt it before she saw it. She met his eyes anyway, briefly, thinking back on their conversation the day before, and nodded.

"No problem here."

She wished she felt as confident about this as she did the day before.

Harvey turned to Louis. "What about you, Louis? You got a problem with me calling the shots?"

They stared at each other for a moment, Donna a mere spectator to the exchange.

"No problem. You're managing partner," Louis agreed at last.

"Good. Then I suggest you get your shit together before tomorrow," Harvey added to Louis. "Start by looking back on what you just said to Donna."

Donna kicked herself for the last sentence; of course he had heard, and of course he had mentioned it. She looked down, not really in the mood to face Louis, and waited until Harvey's steps were far enough that she couldn't hear them anymore. Louis looked angry, and ashamed, and she didn't want to spend another minute debating this.

"Donna…"

"Not today, Louis," she interrupted, shaking her head. "Just… not today."

She turned before she could see his reaction, leaving the restrooms and going straight to her office — unsure of which way to go, she chose the fastest way, passing by the managing partner's office, which was thankfully empty. Better this than walking around Harvey's office again. She had been avoiding it since two nights ago.

She was happy at PSL, she really was — they gave her freedom and a position she had only dreamed of before. She liked the people and liked the job and she liked the place. It paid her well, and Harvey accepted her offer for a seat at the table, but Louis had only put doubts in her mind. She knew Harvey, she knew he stopped at nothing to get what he wanted; she also knew how professional he was. Right now both things were mixed in her head, because she knew he wanted her. It wouldn't be such a surprise that he'd promote her like this, so soon after she just started, just to soften her to him. The worst thing was that it was working — she  _was_ softening to him.

She took her bag and coat from her office and went to the hall. Louis was probably still in the restroom, freaking out, but she heard steps after she entered the elevator; she didn't hold the door and didn't see who was coming.

Today had been tense enough without having to ride to the ground floor with Harvey or Louis.

* * *

Louis more or less stormed out of their first partner meeting, and Harvey was not in the mood for another fight, but being the managing partner was turning out to be harder than he thought it would be.

He had thought both Louis and Donna would like his plan of bringing Alex as a name partner, dropping Jessica's client and bringing a new one in his place. It was all about tearing down a statue — an act so that everyone knew Jessica wasn't the one calling the shots anymore. He had expected Louis to not agree with the new name partner, but Donna was another problem altogether.

"Donna," he called when she stood up to leave as well.

She gave him a look.

They hadn't really talked since the argument in the restroom last night, and he couldn't blame her for avoiding him. Surely she knew Louis' accusations were wrong — if there was anyone who knew him was Donna.

The disagreement and the recent argument were messing with his head.

"You're making a mistake," she simply said.

"Two votes on one, Donna. You lost," he argued back, arching his eyebrows.

"Did I? Because you bullied Louis into agreeing with you."

"You're on his side now?" Harvey asked. It was unbelievable. "After all he said to you last night?"

"Is he wrong, though?" she asked right back. "You've given me a position without me having any real background on it before. You've agreed to me having a vote. You backed me up against Louis, and now that I don't have your back, you want me to, no matter what."

"I put you in this position," he said before he could stop himself.

"I  _earned_ it, and I'm not supposed to agree with you all the time simply because you're the one who gave me a vote," she told him sternly. "If you won't listen to Louis because you think he's jealous, think about what does it say about you bringing a new name into the firm as your first act of managing partner. No matter if you want me to open my legs or not."

"Donna…"

"Leave it."

She turned and left without another word, and he didn't have the strength to go after her. They had planned to try and be more open with each other, but it seemed as if since then they had only drove each other apart. The thing was — Donna was almost always right. He had absolutely no problem admitting it. Yes, perhaps he had been soft on her because he wanted her back but that wasn't the sole reason he had done everything he had up until this point.

He was learning, and so was she — both their positions were new to them, and he was determined to take care of it. Ever since three nights ago, he couldn't stop thinking about her; if anything the night in his office told him he wasn't completely alone in his feelings. He understood she needed some time, and he thought he did too. He wasn't going to get her back by being easy on her; that simply wasn't the Donna way at all.

Setting his jaw and standing up, he decided he better start fixing the firm and his partners before things got even more in the way — of business, and in the future of his personal life. Before, he and Donna solved issues as they came — problems in the office were solved at home and vice versa,  _if_ they got solved at all. It hadn't been a good system, or better yet, they hadn't even had a proper system. They took it as it came and many of their issues were simply left under the rug for them to return to them during an argument. It was different now; they were different now.

He'd be damned if he'd let that ruin whatever they could have in the future, no matter how angry he was.

* * *

To say the week was going well would be the overstatement of the decade. Despite being COO, having a vote, Louis agreeing to Harvey being managing partner, handling the associates — things weren't going amazingly well. Donna was pretty much done — with the associates, Louis and Harvey.

Which only made things a little more difficult when she had to look for Louis for help.

She knocked lightly on his door, though Gretchen assured her he wasn't busy at the moment. He looked up and brightened considerably at the sight of her, but Donna remained serious. She wasn't yet over the things he had told her the night before; she knew she was hurting and she understood the difficulty in his situation, but his words cut through her resolve that things were going exactly the way they were supposed to be.

"Louis, do you have a moment?" Donna asked him politely.

"Yes, Donna, of course," he answered promptly, just like she had expected him to.

"I need your help with this contract," she explained, sitting on one of the chairs in front of his desk. "It's simple enough and I'm pretty sure I should take this offer, but I felt it was best to ask for a lawyer to look it over before signing anything."

Louis' eyebrows shot up. "And you chose me over Harvey and Rachel?"

"Rachel's out today, and I'd rather not involve Harvey in this," Donna told him, not elaborating any further. She handed him the papers.

He didn't even look at them right away, simply took them from them and pursed his lips. She knew him well, they had kept in touch through the years, but her problems with Louis were few and far between, since they didn't see each other that often and certainly had no business together. Things were changing… and they all needed to adapt to it.

If Donna knew anything about the people in this firm, it was that they didn't like change at all.

"Donna, I want to apologize for yesterday," Louis said, finally.

Donna nodded. "It's fine, Louis. I'd rather just forget that altogether."

"No, Donna, I was way out of line," he insisted. "You didn't deserve it. And neither did Harvey. You know how he is with you, he's… different. I wanna make sure he doesn't lose himself in the process."

"It's not like that between us. Not anymore," she cleared her throat. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I just want you to take care of yourself," he continued. "He didn't deserve you. You know that."

"He wasn't ready for us," Donna said simply. "I'm not sure if I was, either."

"No, you were fine. He was the clueless one. He's never known how lucky he was to have you," Louis shook his head. "I just hope he gets that now."

"That's not the point anymore. As long as he respects my position here we'll be good," Donna said softly, then shrugged. "He's not the only one who should respect my position."

"I know, Donna, and I'm sorry."

"Water under the bridge, Louis."

"So we're good?" Louis asked her.

It took her a moment to reply. "We will be. Your words were hurtful, Louis. I won't forget them."

He nodded, and didn't insist anymore, which was a relief to her. She just needed things to go smoothly, starting with this contract; Louis finally started reading the file, a frown on his face as he processed the information.

"You're selling your house?" He asked at last, eyes still on the papers. "To Mitchell?"

Donna nodded. "It wasn't working out anymore."

He looked at her then. "Donna, I'm so sorry."

"Just tell me the offer is solid," she said decisively. "I just want to get this over with."

Louis nodded slowly. "Looks solid. You're not losing any money, that's for sure," he assured her, looking back at her. "Did Harvey have anything to do with this?"

"I couldn't lie to myself any longer. Harvey had very little to do with it, and he doesn't know the details," she said. "I'd like to keep it this way."

Louis tilted his head, and asked no more. He looked over the files once more; she knew she could trust him with this. After a few more seconds, he spoke again.

"Let me call his lawyer for a few things and then I'll give you the thumbs up," he said. "Just to make sure."

"Okay. Thanks, Louis," she said politely, standing up.

"Donna," he called before she could get to the door; she half turned. "Wanna go to the ballet this weekend?"

She let out a deep breath. "Maybe next weekend, Louis."

He nodded slowly. "Yeah. Of course."

With a tentative smile, she left his office.

* * *

Harvey found her later the following evening, when she walked into his newly appointed office. He had already discussed things with Louis, shared a phone call with Jessica, and had a somewhat interesting conversation with Katrina. He hadn't seen Donna all day — because of her class in the morning and his meetings in the afternoon. She was wearing a black dress and her hair looked straighter than usual — it fit her well. She looked beautiful.

She knocked on the glass door, and he looked up and tried not to smile too much at seeing her here. This meeting was scheduled with his secretary, and so he had been expecting her. Part of him wondered if she'd come, however, or simply send documents through her own assistant in the morning.

"You didn't forget our meeting," she looked surprised, walking in slowly, like she owned the place.

Maybe she knew she did.

"Amy reminded me before she went home," Harvey said. "So… you have the contracts ready?"

Donna nodded, approaching his desk and handing him the files. She didn't sit down as he went over the papers; a quick look on them showed him she did exactly what he had asked her to do, even if she hadn't agreed with it. It explained her guarded mood. He put the files on his desk and leaned back on his chair.

"I'm gonna need you to change those," he said at last.

"Which ones?"

"All of them," he answered truthfully.

She was surprised, and gaped at him a little.

"Even the press release?"

"Especially the press release."

She pursed her lips. Straightened her back. He knew that instance. She was getting ready for a fight.

"I've paid the five hundred grand," Donna said instantly.

"You can't be a senior partner without being a lawyer. I'm sorry, Donna," he said honestly. "No press release necessary."

"I don't care about being a partner. I want a vote."

"I know, and that's why I added this to your contract and wrote my own press release," he fished another sheet of paper from his desk, and handed it to her. "You keep your vote, but your title remains COO. You can go over the details in the morning, change whatever you want."

He watched as she over the words — first the contract, then the press release. She was gaping at him by the time she finished it.

"I'm pretty good at releases, aren't I?" He arched his eyebrows.

That did it. She let out a laugh and the smile forced its way on her face, and he knew then and there the bad blood between them was over. She couldn't resist it when he said these things, and he knew she couldn't resist matching his wit.

"I'm better at releases than you," she grinned. "I'll edit this in the morning."

"Be my guest," he offered. "You good with it?"

"I'm good, yeah," Donna said with an air of finality. "I never expected you to make me partner in the first place."

He smirked. Of course she didn't. It was just one of the things he loved about her.

That thought made its way into his head so suddenly that he felt disconcerted by it.

"And the other?" Donna continued.

Harvey pursed his lips. "Alex will come, but as a senior partner. He'll have to earn his name on the wall."

He was pretty sure the look on her face was one of pride. She smiled and nodded.

"I'm glad you did this, Harvey."

He nodded. "You were right. I might as well say it."

"Well, I often am," she agreed. "Do say it again so I can record it."

"Very funny," he laughed anyway, then stood up himself, since she never did sit down. "Hey, have a drink with me."

She arched her eyebrows. "Here?"

"Gotta christen this office," he said with a grin of his own.

Donna rolled her eyes. "Please. This office got christened years ago."

Harvey made his way to the decanter near the wall, watching as Donna moved towards the couch. He made a face as he thought through her words.

"Jessica?"

He couldn't help it if his voice was a little too high; the very thought of Jessica and Malone in this office gave him a shudder.

"Maybe. Hardman for sure," Donna answered.

He poured whiskey into two tumblers and joined her on the couch.

"I love the image you just put in my brain," he shook his hand, handing her the glass. "Can't unsee it now."

"That guy was an asshole," she commented, raising the glass at him. He sat next to her, presentable distance between them. His arm on the back of the couch — if he tried he could touch her shoulder with his fingertips. "Cheers. To a more civilized christening of your office."

Harvey laughed before taking a sip. "We're overdressed, I'm sure."

"Well, either way I'm glad to be the one you're doing it with," she laughed.

There was a moment — their eyes met, and the joke fell flat on her lips. He took his seriously, and he wanted her to know it.

"There's no one else I'd rather be doing this with," he responded.

Donna pressed the tumbler against her chest, right between the collar of her dress and her skin. It reminded him of the two of them, drinking Cameron Dennis' whiskey and flirting in the DA's office. That seemed so long ago.

"So… Alex is coming to work with us," she said after a moment.

A safe change of subject. He could take it.

"Yeah. We're still letting go of Jessica's client, though," he added. "I called her to let her know."

"I'm glad you did, Harvey," she gave him a soft smile. "How did she take it?"

"Surprisingly well," he replied. "She may even be a little proud of me."

Donna snickered. They drank in silence; it wasn't so bad. Things were slowly getting better between them, despite the underlying tension, which he wasn't sure if it would ever go away, in all honesty. He had just finished his glass when he noticed she was almost done as well, and with the way things had been between them for the past three days he was certain he didn't want the night to end so soon.

"Listen, about what Louis said…"

"I know better than to listen to Louis in his moments of rage," she rolled her eyes. "I shouldn't, right?"

She was attempting to make light of the situation, but he wouldn't let her — not because Louis was right or wrong, but because it was entirely disrespectful and way out of his element. He hadn't been able to talk to his partner about it, but he would. The last thing he needed was new rumors going around about him and Donna when the firm was in such a delicate situation.

"You shouldn't, but that doesn't mean we'll just forget what he said," Harvey said sternly. "I swear, I don't know what's wrong with him that he just has to cut so deep."

"That's what he's been doing to the associates. I was just the next person to face him," she took a deep breath. "I don't take it so personally, I just don't want people to think you're just appeasing me."

"Come on, you know me. You know me better than anyone in this building," Harvey said softly, his thumb touching her shoulder very slowly. "In this town, even. I want you on my team, Donna. I wanted that when we met and I wanted that when I came to work here."

"And our personal relationship?" she asked.

Harvey shrugged. "That was just… a consequence. You were just so into me."

Donna gasped. "You're the one who kept coming onto me. Sharing scotch that wasn't even yours."

"Hey, you  _liked_ the scotch," he complained. "Straightened my ties…"

"No, I learned to like the scotch," she retorted. "Your ties were always in need of straightening. It was as if you did it on purpose."

He arched his eyebrows. "Maybe I did."

"You didn't!" she gaped at him, laughing. "No way.  _No way_."

He laughed too — maybe it hadn't been on purpose, but it had been an unconscious thing of sorts. It had been a ritual between them, even — she often straightened his ties even when they hadn't needed straightening. Just one ritual of many.

"Hey," a voice interrupted them; Harvey turned to see Mike on the doorway. "I just wanted to give you these files for Monday. Sorry for interrupting."

Donna shook her head, laughter dying slowly from her lips.

"It's fine, I was already on my way," she said, drinking the rest of her scotch and standing up. Harvey did the same, accepting the files Mike handed him. He noticed his former associate's eyes going from him to Donna in an alarming way.

"Hey, I'm meeting Rachel downstairs for drinks before we head home. You wanna join us?" the kid asked.

Harvey could have kicked him. It was so not the time to play matchmaker, and he made it clear by the look he sent in Mike's direction. When he chanced a look at Donna, however, she appeared interested.

"Well, I could use some time off here," she confessed, looking strangely hopeful at him. "It is Friday, after all."

"Uh, sure. Drinks sound good," Harvey agreed.

Donna gave them both a smile. "Great! I'll just grab my bag, then."

Harvey gave her a tight-lipped smile and watched as she walked out of his office, not bothering to keep with the façade once she's out and looked sternly in Mike's direction.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?"

"Rachel and I will be your wingmen tonight," Mike said as if it was obvious.

"I've never needed a wingman in my life and I'm not starting now," Harvey said, putting the files on his desk. "Who says I even want to go there?"

"That look on your face every time Donna walks by or says anything," Mike said promptly. "I knew you had it bad, old man, but this is… really bad."

"Please stop talking."

"Plus this is just four friends going out for drinks. Two of whom are former lovers who are clearly still into each other," Mike slapped his shoulder cheerfully. "What could go wrong?"

He refrained from replying when Donna showed up on the doorway once more, now wearing her coat and holding her bag. Red had always suited her very well, and he especially liked the contrast with her black dress.

"Ready, boys?" she asked with a smile, acting perfectly natural.

Two days ago he had heard her say she didn't know how to act around him, and now he felt as if he was a teenager and she was Ricky Garfield's mom — shit, Donna reminded him of that woman. Only now she was hotter, more beautiful and scarier than his friend's mom.

 _Shit_.

"Ready," Mike said, walking out as well, though not before smirking at Harvey. "See, it's that look right there."

He turned off the lights and caught up with the other two, admiring the way Donna's hair flowed over her shoulders and the way she walked as she talked to Mike. The kid pressed the elevator's button and smiled at them both.

"This has been a week," Mike commented. "Heard you're a partner now, Donna. Congratulations."

"More or less," she shrugged, but smiled, chancing a look at Harvey. "And it's 'congratulations,  _ma'am_.'"

The elevator beeped, and she got in before them. Mike gave Harvey a look.

"You've created a monster."

Harvey pushed him lightly towards the doors.

"Listen to the ma'am, Mike."

Donna laughed as they got in and the doors closed.

* * *

There was a blues band playing in the corner and the bar was crowded but of course Harvey had managed to get them a table. She had started by drinking wine with Rachel but by the time Harvey and Mike got back with the third round of drinks she couldn't say no to a beer, much to her friend's surprise.

"I didn't know you drank beer," Rachel noted, frowning when Donna took the bottle from Harvey.

"Easier to ask what she doesn't drink," Harvey commented, taking a sip of his own bottle.

They had been doing alright, Donna thought — drinking and talking and laughing. Mike and Rachel were easy to talk to, and Donna was glad they were here tonight. Their booth was right around the corner, far enough from the band that they could hear what each other was saying, but close enough that they could still enjoy it. It was weird though, to be able to say such things, give people a glimpse of what they did know about each other — because they did know a lot.

"Is that true?"

"I had a bad experience with triple sec," Donna admitted to her friend. "Other than that, I'll try anything."

"That's what we call it now? A  _bad_   _experience_?" Harvey smirked.

"That's what I called it then," Donna retorted, "when I told you about it. In private."

Harvey merely smirked, and the looks between Rachel and Mike didn't go unnoticed. She knew her friend wouldn't let it go, so Donna decided a simple version of events would be enough to appease her.

"It involves a Mexican guy who had just proposed to me, a Canadian boat and a lot of quesadillas that gave me food poisoning," she explained.

Mike cringed; Rachel gaped at her.

"Did you accept the proposal?"

"He thought I did, but I didn't know I had," Donna explained.

"Well, I'm giving you Spanish lessons, that's for sure," Rachel told her very seriously.

Harvey laughed. "She knows some Finnish and that's bad enough. Don't encourage her."

" _Excuse me_!" Donna said mockingly, slapping his arm lightly.

"You know  _Finnish_?" Mike asked, bewildered.

Donna gave him a look. "I'm not an animal, Michael."

Rachel shook her head. "Who are you?"

"Who am I not?"

It was all a good-natured joke, of course, but she saw the way Harvey was looking at her; it wasn't as if she could ignore it, not when he was sitting across from her and smiling so wistfully. It was easy to remember the hard times they had gone through, but there had also been good times, a lot of them; people could tell her she knew Harvey more than anyone else but the fact remained that the opposite was true. It wasn't easy for her to open up, truthfully — with him, however… it had always been effortless.

"Hey, we came up with pre and post-trial rituals ourselves," Mike said rather proudly.

Rachel snickered. "We didn't come up with them, they just happened."

"Aw, your puppy is all grown up now, Harvey," Donna joked, arching her eyebrows suggestively. Maybe the beer was starting to get to her head. "Out with it."

"Pre-trial, we take runs together. Also good for our healthy," he added. "Post-trial, whoever wins doesn't have to cook or do the dishes," Mike continued. "Not as exciting as  _your ritual_ , I know, but hey, we don't  _need_ that, you know."

"We didn't need that either, so drop it," Harvey rolled his eyes.

Rachel frowned. "I thought your ritual involved that baseball."

"His ritual involved his balls alright," Mike said.

Donna coughed as she swallowed the beer, not ready to hear  _that_. Of course Harvey would have told Mike.  _Of course_. That was private, just between the two of them, and she had never told anyone about it, but of course Harvey had to spill the guts to Mike, of all people.

He must have seen the look on her face, because she didn't even have to say anything for him to stand up for himself.

"Listen, it wasn't on purpose. It just came out," he explained, not very articulated.

"If it helps, he was high when he told me," Mike chimed in.

"That doesn't help. What else did he tell you?"

"That he missed you and he lo—"

"Okay, let's get another round," Harvey said, already standing up and nudging Mike to follow him.

"We don't need refills yet," the kid complained.

"Yeah, we do."

They left in a hurry without another word, and Donna couldn't help but feel a little hurt that their secret was out like that, being shared with another person. Well, sharing was perhaps too strong a word for it, but if Mike knew about their silly old rituals maybe he knew more, even. It wasn't even about the intimacy they used to have, not physically anyway, but that they had been so open and comfortable with each other that they shared that — silly trial rituals that were fun and not supposed to mean a lot. Letting another person in on the secret made it feel…  _less_.

She wasn't surprised to see Rachel looking at her — she was surprised that Rachel looked serious and not teasing.

"Wanna tell me what that was about?"

Donna let out a bitter laugh. "You can just ask Mike, I'm sure he knows all the details."

"No, well, that too, but… you and Harvey," Rachel explained. "You're different together. Less uptight. That's good, right?"

"I suppose," Donna rolled her eyes. "We've agreed to talk more. To see if the awkwardness goes away."

"Talk more."

"Mm-hm."

"I know of one way to make the awkwardness go away, and that's not talking," Rachel teased her.

Donna let out a laugh. "I can't believe you're gonna root for him now!"

Her friend shook her head. "I'll always root for you, come on. Just… maybe rooting for you means rooting for him?" she tried to explain. Donna made a face. "No, I mean it. He's so different since you got back to the firm. He's really trying, you know. I had forgotten how the two of you were together."

"And how's that?"

"Like two people who know each other very well and still love each other," Rachel answered; Donna let out a laugh. "No, I mean it. You weren't ready five years ago, but you're here now. So maybe… now's your time."

"That's very beautiful, Rach, but life isn't like that," Donna argued, a little weakly.

"Isn't it? You always know everything, Donna, but he knows you. And don't give me your 'I'm an open book' crap because I don't buy it," she added. "You're an open book, but only to him. The opposite is true, too. You know it."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"That can mean whatever you want it to mean," Rachel shrugged, smiling softly at her. "Now you gotta tell me these rituals."

Donna cringed.

"Nope. Ask Mike."

"Come on! I deserve to hear it from you if Harvey told Mike."

"It's silly."

"It can't be that bad," Rachel insisted, watching her. Donna avoided her eyes. "Oh my God, it involves sex," she deduced. Donna gave her a look and watched as her friend's eyes went from her to Harvey, who was still by the bar, clearly buying himself some time. "Huh. I can see that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Donna narrowed her eyes.

"Just the way you two are… never mind," Rachel shrugged. "Okay, then. What was so special about it?"

"Nothing. Just really regular stuff, that's why it's silly," Donna answered truthfully. Rachel remained firm, waiting for a proper answer. "You know, when he won, I just… rewarded him."

"Rewarded him?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"I'll have you know my rewards are to die for."

"I think I get it. And the pre-trial ritual?"

"That was more of a game, and Harvey was the player. Just to get in the mood to win," Donna answered rather cryptically.

"Interesting," Rachel said. "How good was it?"

Donna pretended to think about it. "Let's just say pre-trial mornings were my favorites for a long time."

"You two were  _so_  kinky, I can tell."

"The only vanilla we got was the one in our coffees, I'll give you that."

They were still laughing when Mike and Harvey got back, and Donna saw how relieved he was for seeing her laughing; it wasn't time to deal with such things, anyway. Trial rituals weren't a thing they worried about anymore, and if she was honest with herself she hadn't thought of them in a while — in fact, she tried to avoid them altogether. It had been good, she could admit that.

She had no doubt it had been better than whatever ritual he had now.

The evening was pleasant, though; it was easy to talk when other people were involved and they ended up reminiscing on some old times — a client's event here and there, that one time Harvey punched a client's son for hitting on her at a club, the one weekend at the Hamptons with the firm's partners. It was nice enough that she was sad when Mike and Rachel said they should leave, and maybe it was because she was very tipsy, or because of what her friend had told her, that she accepted to share a cab ride with Harvey to her apartment.

It was clearly because she was tipsy that she sat so close to him and it was also because of that that she leaned her head against the arm that was stretched over their seats. City lights were becoming fainter and she was feeling heavy with sleep and light in her heart — sitting beside him like this made her feel like they were in another time and another place and she liked it. The warmth of him beside her, the smell of his cologne, his voice whenever he spoke to her and they were close like this.

"Hey," Harvey said against her ear, and Donna opened her eyes, not even realizing she had closed them in the first place. They were close to her apartment now. "You wanna grab a burger?"

She laughed. A burger, at nearly 2 in the morning.

"Yeah," she answered after a moment, "I wanna get a burger."

Donna only realized how hungry she was when they were sat on a booth at the diner near her place. She still came here every other day for the coffee and sometimes on Sundays for pancakes; Harvey must have remembered the place as well because he chose the exact same booth they used to get when they came here, years ago — the same booth she usually avoided.

The place was mostly empty, and their burger and fries were served quickly. She moaned a little at her first bite. Harvey's eyes widened, and she could see he was trying hard not to laugh.

"Stop judging me," she complained.

"I'm not," he replied quickly. "This is the first dinner we share in a while."

Donna nodded, too busy eating her french fries. "It's kinda nice, right?"

"No one else I'd rather have a burger with. Considering we both know you'll steal my fries later," he added.

"I won't," she assured him.

She did end up stealing his fries, and he did end up eating the last few bites of her burger, as per their usual; some things never did change. When they were done and her stomach was full and her head felt less dizzy, she let herself take a proper look at him. The tie had been loose for hours, the shirt sleeves were folded up until his elbows. Despite the late hour and the slightly sleepy face, he looked relaxed and happy. She realized that was the first time she had seen him like that ever since their reconnecting.

"Do I have something on my face?" Harvey asked when she caught her staring.

Donna smiled, not bothering to pretend she hadn't just been busted. "I'm just glad we did this. It's been a nice evening."

"Yeah, it has," he agreed. "I'm sorry about telling Mike our old rituals. I didn't really give him details, so he was mostly bluffing."

"Too bad, 'cause I'm pretty sure I gave Rachel enough details that she knows exactly what they were about," she replied.

Harvey chuckled. "Hey," he said softly, eyes twinkling just the way she knew meant trouble, "let's get another ritual next time I'm on trial."

"You already have your own rituals now," Donna frowned, sitting up straight.

"Yeah, but you're back to the firm now. It's… tradition."

"What kind of ritual do you have in mind?"

"Well…"

He arched his eyebrows suggestively at her. Donna laughed out loud — there was a certain lightness of the situation that made her feel giddy. They had so many steps to cover, but it seemed like they were finally getting somewhere. Joking about sex had always been something they liked to do, even when they were not having it.

She'd be lying to herself if she said she hadn't thought about it a lot recently.

There was just something about Harvey that made her forget herself.

"You're gonna be that honest about it, huh?" she asked him. "Come on, pretty. You know you gotta work for this."

"Oh, believe me, I know," Harvey said. "I have been working on it. Until then we could think of something else."

She tilted her head. "Like what?"

"Like… using a can opener," he suggested as a waitress passed by them.

Donna scoffed. "A can opener? Really? That's gotta be the dumbest thing for a trial ritual ever."

"I'm gonna think of something, you'll see."

"I'll be eagerly waiting," she added for a tease.

"I'm sure you will."

The way he looked at her made her look away with a smile — too teasing, too intense, too much.

She accepted his offer to walk her to her apartment, and despite how great their evening was, she knew it was time for an end. She was dying for a shower and a good night of sleep, and they still had work in the morning, albeit Saturdays were often more relaxed. The short walk to her building was slow, shoulders brushing through her coat and his shirt, the chilliness of the early morning air enough for her to wrap her arms around herself. He was holding his jacket over one shoulder, his other hand in his pocket. Years ago he'd have had his arm around her shoulders and she'd feel his warmth through their clothes.

They weren't there now — not yet, anyway.

"Thanks for the ride, and dinner," Donna said as they approached her building. "It was great."

"Best christening of an office ever," Harvey joked as she looked for her keys.

"That it was," she agreed with a laugh. "Goodnight, Harvey."

She was standing on a step close to her door, and he wasn't close enough that they could hug. Maybe it was the expectant look on her face, or maybe he just couldn't help himself, but she was glad when he took a step closer and felt his lips press between her cheek and her neck. One quick, simple touch, and she felt flutters all over her.

"Goodnight, Donna."

They shared a smile and she turned around to get inside, catching him looking at her one more time as she closed the door.

They were definitely getting somewhere, she just didn't know where.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter than the last chapter, but stuff happens and I felt it was better to stop there. Let me know your thoughts on this one - kinda excited/worried about your reactions. The last chapter was a long filler and I wish this one could have been as long but sometimes less is more I hope? We'll see. This chapter is set in episode 703, in case anyone needs a little more context. I don't think I need to say there will be no Paula in this fic, but I thought I'd make it clear that this is a Paula-free story. Thanks for reading!

 

He was a man on a mission when he entered Louis' office early that morning. He was in a good mood, having just pulled a prank at Mike with Donna. He was pretty sure the kid was taking the pictures off his windows this very second.

Still, the week had been long, and he had yet to confront Louis on something he should have done days ago.

"Harvey, if this is about Alex—" Louis started.

Harvey shook his head. "This isn't about Alex, whatever it is you're pulling with him. This is about Donna."

"Donna?" Louis appeared confused. Harvey could have punched him for not even remembering what this could be about. "Oh, I've apologized. We even went to the ballet last Friday."

At least that explained her leaving early. He pretended he wasn't relieved to know it had been for Louis.

Still not the point of this.

"I'm glad you've apologized and that Donna is a more forgiving person than I am," Harvey said calmly. "If you ever disrespect her like that again, I'll make sure you the one who won't work here anymore. Got it?"

Louis frowned. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning. Don't take your frustrations out on other people, especially Donna," Harvey continued. "We want her to keep working here. We can do without you, though."

"Bet if I had legs like hers you'd want me to keep working here too," Louis mumbled. Harvey threw him a look. "Yeah, of course. I've apologized, I know I crossed a line there."

"Damn right you did," Harvey agreed. "I'm not letting you off the hook here. She deserves your respect more than anyone else in this firm, and you know it."

"Right, of course. Donna deserves the best," Louis said quickly. "Not that you're the best."

Harvey let out a deep breath. "Shut up, Louis. Don't forget the warning. You only get one notice, and this is it."

He turned to leave, and ignored Louis' last question to him.

"Do you know if Alex likes mudding?"

He shook his head. One notice, and he would be out. There was only so much shit he could take.

* * *

Harvey found her waiting for him in his office, standing by his records' shelves. It reminded him of the night Mike got cleared and became a member of the Bar — the scotch, the music. He cleared his throat and put it out of his mind.

For now.

"Donna, what can I do for you?"

Donna turned around, giving him a tight-lipped smile as she followed him to his desk; she offered him a stack of papers and he took them.

"The Kensington contracts. I'd have left them with Amy, but she's gone already," she replied.

"Yeah, she had a date, I think? Someone from the firm. Top secret," Harvey said, shaking his head slightly. He put the contracts on his desk and leaned against it, noticing a funny look on Donna's face. "What?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Bianca had a date too."

"Who's that?"

Donna huffed. "My assistant."

Harvey frowned. "You're not thinking…?"

"You know what I'm thinking," she widened her eyes in excitement.

"Bow chicka bow wow," they said in unison, eyes meeting.

Donna laughed; Harvey shook his head, trying not to join her.

"Finally I've got some info before Gretchen does. She'll want to be the one to tell me about this, but I'll already have known," she said triumphantly.

Harvey laughed. "Thought you were the one who knew everything."

"I am, but it turns out being a COO means you have to keep some distance," she rolled her eyes. "It's very hard to keep my finger on the pulse these days. By the way, I'm not sure Amy likes me. She seems very protective."

"Well, she clearly likes your assistant," Harvey grins. "She knows I like you, and she let you help decorate this office, so I think it's safe to say she likes you."

"You know I helped?" Donna looked surprised.

"She just mentioned you said the records and the picture should share the wall," he told her softly, crossing his arms in front of him, "and that you were the one to hang the picture."

"Well… consider it my last official act as your secretary," she joked.

"What, that wasn't when you handed me those papers five years ago?" Harvey asked, rolling his eyes.

"Well, it must have been, but I don't remember it," she replied.

"I remember it," he told her quietly.

A flush set on her cheeks, ever so slightly. Her eyes widened if only for a moment — the actress in her masked things quickly. He could see it.

"I didn't really think it through, you know. I just… realized I couldn't do it anymore," she revealed.

Harvey looked at her, unsure of what to say — even now, years later, she caught him by surprise. By mentioning it or doing it, it didn't matter. He couldn't remember the last time they had kissed, years ago — he wasn't counting the evening in his office if that didn't mean anything to her. He couldn't remember the last time they had had sex, their last dinner together, their last breakfast as a couple. The memories became a blur to him — either because they had been so mundane he couldn't recall them, or because he didn't pay enough attention, or because the panic attacks that followed her departure from his life made the memories too painful.

"I know, Donna," he pursed his lips, uncrossing his arms and supporting his palms against his desk. "It's funny that I can't remember any of our lasts, but I remember the last thing you helped me with were the McKernon Motors files."

Donna chuckled. "Of course you'd remember work."

"Well, what do you remember?"

Her stance changed, ever so slightly. No one would have noticed it, but he did — the way she blinked, as if to avert his eyes for just a moment. The way she fiddled with her hands nervously. The change in her weight from one leg to another. She let go of her hands to grasp at the back of one of the chairs in front of his desk. The subject was hard for them both, and yet they had vowed to talk more, so he pushed it a little. He thought his therapist would be pretty proud of him.

"The last time we kissed. Not... a peck. An actual kiss," she rolled her eyes. He noticed how watery they were. "It's silly. I've analysed it so many times, I'm convinced I'm reading too much into it."

"If you mean that day in my office…"

"No, not that. Before. It was weird, we were late, and you just… really kissed me inside the car. Before we got out to work," she added. "That same day I left, and I remember feeling like… it was the right thing to do, even though it felt like you loved me through that kiss."

He couldn't remember it. They had kissed often in the back of the car, and even when they were alone in the firm. The kisses blurred together in his mind, almost in unison. When he thought of one, he thought of many. She occupied corners of his mind he didn't even know she had access to.

He took a step towards her, then another two. She looked nervous, eyes roaming his face in search of… something. He wasn't sure of what he was doing himself. One of his hands rested next to hers on the back of the chair.

"I did love you," Harvey told her softly.

A sigh escaped her lips, along with a pained smile. "You never said it."

"Neither did you," he pointed out.

Donna let out a laugh. "How would you have taken it back then?"

He made a face; as usual, she had a point. "I wasn't ready. You left, and it did break me, but you could always look at the bigger picture."

"We did get to where we are now," she said softly.

"You mean I'm the one who managed to lure you back to the firm," Harvey joked. He moved his hand, just a little — his finger touched hers.

Her eyes fluttered at the contact. "I meant in an emotional place, but whatever."

"I'll take it, if it means what I think it means," he leaned towards her slowly. He could smell her perfume, the scent of her skin. It was enough to make him irresponsible.

"Harvey…"

The sound of his phone vibrating on the desk was loud in the silence of his office, and the spell broke; Harvey cursed under his breath and noticed Donna straightening her posture, blinking the emotion away.

"Sorry," he mumbled, stepping away from her.

"I have some things to finish anyway," Donna said, pointing towards the door. "I'll... see you tomorrow."

Before he could say anything, she was off, and he was left cursing Alex for interrupting an actual honest moment between the two of them.

* * *

It was late by the time he saw her leaving — with their offices side by side, even if she took the long route to the elevators, it was easy to notice her slipping out the door. It wasn't as if he had been waiting for her — well, maybe he was, but he felt as if they had finally started making some progress before being interrupted. He wanted to talk more, have dinner with her, and maybe… start on another row of firsts with her.

So when he saw her leaving, he followed suit. It was late enough and part of him wondered if she had been waiting for him to leave as well — they had no work related pressing matters, and so an excuse to talk once more this evening would have seemed fickle. He didn't even try to pretend he wanted an excuse to talk to her.

He walked up to her in hurried steps, easily catching up with her.

"Donna."

She glanced at him. "Harvey."

"Thought you'd never leave," Harvey said conversationally.

"Were you waiting for me to leave?" She asked.

"Maybe I was," he revealed.

She stopped in front of the elevator, narrowing her eyes at him. He pressed the button.

"Maybe you were waiting for me to leave too," he pointed out before she could say anything.

"What if I was?" Donna asked, a smile playing on her lips.

It was a risk — he knew it, and so did she. Somehow, the stakes felt even higher now. They were older, this could be their last shot.

He had to risk it.

"Have dinner with me," he said, all cards on the table.

It was clearly not what she was expecting, because she looked around uneasily, sighed and met his eyes.

"Why?"

Harvey pursed his lips. Not what  _he_  was expecting either. He knew Donna, and he knew she knew how they were together. He wasn't in this for the fun, and he hoped she knew that.

"Because maybe… we don't remember our lasts because they aren't supposed to be our lasts," he replied, shrugging.

Donna was serious at first — then a laugh escaped her lips and she looked down, flustered. He knew she was trying to get her thoughts together, but he wasn't used to this version of her that was so hesitant, so careful. Each new trait he learned opened a new string of feelings in his chest, and he wondered if he'd ever stop feeling so much for her, so much more every day.

When she came back to the firm, it could have been just a case of absence making the heart grow fonder. Now, weeks later, he just knew — his heart had never stopped being hers.

"Do you say that to all your ex-girlfriends?" Donna asked at last.

"No," he answered honestly, "just you."

He moved his arm slightly, his hand catching hers in the process. He laced their fingers together, and felt relief wash over him when he realized she was holding his hand back.

"We shouldn't," she breathed as she looked down to their hands.

She made no move to pull away.

"I'm not the same man I used to be, Donna."

"And I'm not the same woman," she said softly, looking at him with pleading eyes. "I don't know what we are doing here. With each other."

"We're talking. I'm trying to get you to accept my dinner invitation," he offered. She gave him a look. "We're… being professionals."

"Holding hands?" She asked, stepping just a little closer.

Harvey nodded. "Holding hands, why not?"

She laughed, a little nervously. He could smell her perfume from here. It intoxicated him. He pulled her close by the hand, not caring that the elevator doors opened right then; she fumbled close to him and his free hand caught her waist and he kissed her.

* * *

In the back of her mind, she thought that maybe this wasn't  _such_  a good idea.

They had so much to handle. They had to talk about  _them_  properly. They had to address this weird attraction thing they had, and they had their jobs to think about, because she sure as hell she didn't want a casual relationship with her managing partner. And she was afraid of what a serious relationship with him would entail.

Still, she couldn't help it when he kissed her like this — the only thing she could do was kiss him back. In the middle of the hall, in front of the elevators. It took her a second to recover, and then her bag fell to the floor and her hands were grasping at his shoulders and his hands drifted low on her back to push her flush against him. He felt strong and hard against her and she just wanted to get so damn closer. She moved her hands to his hair and pulled it ever so slightly; he groaned against her mouth.

"We… really… shouldn't," she struggled to say when he moved his lips to her jaw.

It was a repeat of that other night, but so much worse. Someone could see them. There were cameras. Maybe associates were still around. Someone could see, and they'd have to stop.

And god dammit, she didn't want to stop.

"Huh?" Harvey asked, his voice rough against her ear.

He sucked a spot on her neck and she moaned, hips buckling slightly. She could feel him everywhere — his strong arms holding her, his hands on her ass, his hot mouth against her skin, the hardness against her hip. It was intoxicating — she hadn't drank a drop today and she felt as dizzy as if she had drank an entire bottle by herself.

"Not here," she managed the words.

At the same time, she didn't want to let the thrill go away; in the back of her mind she knew that if they stopped she would get a cab and not see him until she absolutely had to tomorrow. And maybe that would be the right choice to make, maybe that was what she should be insisting upon, but she didn't protest when he nudged her and walked them back. A rush ran through her and she let him guide her towards the restrooms just around the elevators — his kisses hot against her skin, his hands burning through the fabric of her dress. As soon as they got inside, he cornered her against a wall. She managed to take the jacket off his shoulders but his urgency didn't give her a chance to unbutton his shirt or take off his tie. The kisses grew faster, shorter, mouths opening but not really giving in to slow, controlled touches. His hands cupped her cheeks and brought her hips closer. She felt his hardness against her, almost aligned in between the layers of clothing, and a moan escaped her.

"God, I love it when you do that," he whispered against her ear, teeth trailing downwards. The mix of pleasure and pain made her lose her breath for a second.

"Do what?" Her voice was raw, too caught-up in the moment to care.

"Let go," he answered. "Like that."

One of his hands sneaked under her dress with some difficulty around the tight material; she lifted a leg and the dress rode up high around her hips. She heard him curse and felt his palm against her — her hips buckled again and this time he pressed harder against the thin material of her underwear. She moved her hips again. This wasn't the time for slow, teasing sex — and she made sure he knew it when she reached for his belt.

"Fuck, Donna," he said, moving her underwear just enough for a finger to slip through.

Her hands stilled around his belt as she felt him enter her, her breath catching at her throat. He added another finger and thrust harder; she yelped and held his shoulders for support. He stretched her, filled her up, and his moans got mixed up with hers at the intensity of the moment. When she moved her head, he was looking at her through heavy eyelids, his brown eyes darker than she had ever seen. He took his fingers out of her, moving towards her front and stroking her clit once, twice — just not enough. She whimpered.

"Fuck," Harvey said.

His distraction was enough for her to move her hands from his shoulders back to his belt; she undid it quickly and unzipped his pants, his cock straining against the fabric of his briefs. There would be no turning back now, she knew. She felt explosive, tingling all over, wanting his hands on her and his cock inside her. She took him in hand, her palm circling him around his underwear, and he cursed again. She bit her lip, moving her fist up and down, and he brought his fingers to his lips — and when he licked them, she lost her resolve.

She had missed him like this. So fucking much.

Her hand movement was sloppy at best, and he took advantage of that to press her harder against the wall. He lowered his boxers just enough and pressed against her, his cock sliding against her easily, spreading her open, once, twice, with her own wetness helping the friction. She moaned and felt one of Harvey's hands holding her leg, the other holding her underwear to the side as he aligned them. With her heels, they were almost the same height, and he slid in slowly, all at once, his hardness brushing against her clit as he entered her. A mixture of a moan and a sigh left her, and she grasped at his shoulder for support. He slid out almost completely before entering again, and she felt the slight pain at his stretching and the pleasure of having him fill her this way again. She felt him all around her and inside her. His free hand squeezed at her breast and she moved her hips against him.

"Harvey," she whimpered as he thrust deep.

His lips met hers in a frenzied kiss, hips moving fast against each other. She felt him deeper, the friction of their heights making her sloppy even into their kiss. He kissed like he fucked her, taking and taking and giving just enough to keep her on edge.  _And god, did she miss it._

Her orgasm hit her and she pulled away, soft moans escaping her as she felt her core tighten; her head hit the wall and she struggled to keep standing, vaguely feeling Harvey's hand hold her other leg in place. All the while he kept fucking her, harder than before, hips circling hers as if trying to get even deeper. Amid her climax, she could only feel him, his hot breath on her neck and his cock inside her, and she wondered why the hell it took them so long to do this again. Donna felt more than she heard his own climax, his breath hot on her shoulder as he spilled inside her. His hips still circled hers, slower now, and she was breathing so hard she wasn't sure she'd ever catch her breath.

Harvey moved his head to the side and she reached for his hair, tugging him close so they could kiss. The slight movement was enough for him to slid back and then deep inside her again and she moaned against his mouth, not even embarrassed that they had just had sex and she could already come again if properly stimulated.

He pressed quick pecks against her mouth and she felt him soften inside her, wiggling her hips a little until he slid out. The warm moisture between her legs slipped to her thigh. She kissed him again, deeper this time, both her legs feeling like jelly against the floor, but he held her close, hands holding the back of her thighs, thumbs brushing her sensitive skin. His forehead touched hers, and she finally looked up and met his eyes. She had missed this, so fucking much. To see the rawness in them like that, right after he had just fucked her. To see the softness in them when she noticed the way he watched her. She ran her hands through his hair then moved them to his shoulders, their breaths still labored. A soft, tentative smile crossed his features. If her resolve had been broken before, well…

Now it was lost forever.

She smiled back. Laughed a little, even, feeling his hands around her waist, slow, almost reverent.

"This was nice," she admitted, biting her lip.

Harvey frowned. "I was going for mind blowing, but have it your way."

"Don't tell me you planned this," Donna asked, her hand playing with his tie.

"Can't say I did, no," he confessed.

She liked it that way.

She pushed him away softly when they paused for a breath, because she really needed to clean up and she felt the need for some space. Before she could make her way towards the sinks, however, he grabbed her, pulling her flush against him.

"You wanna get out of here?" He whispered, eyes so close to hers.

His tone was tentative enough that she felt disconcerted all of a sudden. Part of her wanted to say no. To not complicate things further.

She nodded.

"Tell me Ray is already waiting downstairs," she told him, pushing him away again.

She grabbed some paper towels and watched through the mirror as he adjusted himself back into his boxers and zipped his pants up. Instead of answering or leaving her be, however, he approached her, taking the paper towels from her hand and running them along her thighs. She met his eyes in the mirror and had to hold onto the marble of the sink not to lose her balance. She took the moment to really look at them — at her swollen red lips and his dishevelled hair and her crumpled dress and his slightly loose tie.

"He's downstairs," he pressed a kiss against the side of her neck.

He cleaned her slowly, dark eyes on hers, and she swallowed drily before nodding.

* * *

When he opened his eyes again, he saw red.

Red, copper locks all over his pillow, right next to his head. A freckled-covered shoulder near his chin. She smelled like flowers and herself and a little bit of him too, and he had to stop himself from grinning just thinking about her scent all over him again. It had been so long.

_Too_ long.

He didn't resist pressing his lips against her shoulder, then reached for her hair to get her neck bare to him. They were still catching their breaths but he couldn't get enough of her; he nuzzled her skin with his nose, and before long she was shifting from her position above him. He had shared his bed with many different women over many years. None of them could ever hold a candle to her. He had known that, five years ago. But the years without her that only became more pronounced, more certain. He wanted her, completely. Body and soul.

He pressed an open mouthed kiss just below her ear and she wiggled, a giggle escaping her. It was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

"Stop it," she mumbled, her voice sounding a little rough.

_That_ was one of the sexiest things he had ever heard.

"Just wanted to make sure you were real," he told softly.

All he knew was that he wouldn't let this be a one time thing. He had refused to admit to himself, but ever since seeing Donna in that bar, things changed; work was important but Jessica left a big hole behind. There was more to life than the firm, he had always known, but now that he had achieved it all — his name on the wall, managing partner, the best view of the town, he realized none of that meant anything if he was by himself. Professionally and personally.

And he wanted her with him. Every step of the way.

She pulled away from him, hands on the bed beside his ears, her hair all around them like a red halo. Without makeup, lips slightly swollen from their previous activities — he wasn't sure she had ever been this beautiful.

"What, you dream about me?" she teased, one of her hands reaching for his jaw and caressing there. He leaned into her touch.

"Sometimes, yeah," he admitted. Her hand stilled, just for a second, but he noted. "Reality is much better."

A slow smile crossed her face. Her thumb still caressed his jaw and she moved her hand so her fingertips traced his lips. He gave her palm a kiss, his hands moving lower from their position on her back. He set them on the curve of her bottom and pulled her closer, and she sat back a little. It was new, but so familiar, to be like this with her. It was as if they anticipated their actions, as if they were in sync. It was even better than before.

"I don't want you to go," he whispered, eyes roaming her face.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said softly, her hands running through his short hair. "You're a very hands on guy. Can't very well escape."

He let out a snicker, but didn't let the jokes take over the situation. "I mean it. I don't want to lose you again, Donna."

Her breath caught in her throat, he saw. Her hands stilled, this time for good.

"You don't have me again, Harvey," she said after a moment. "Not really. Not yet."

The words were like a knife to his heart. He pursed his lips. Tried to be calm about this. This meant so much to him.  _She_ meant  _too_ much to him.

"Will you give me a chance to try again?" he asked, tentatively. He didn't move, didn't try anything else. Her body on top of his, the scent of tonight raw in the sheets, her soft skin against his. He didn't want to lose this again.

After what felt like an eternity, she nodded. Very slowly. A soft smile crossed her features.

"We can both try again," she said at last. "You did promise me dinner, and here we are. Straight to my bedroom."

He visibly relaxed. He smiled at her. Really smiled. And he didn't resist it when she leaned down to kiss him.

"Old habits die hard," he noted. Her hand was playing with the hairs right above his ear. "Does that mean you only have eggs and coffee in your kitchen?"

Donna laughed, low and free. "Why? Are you cooking in my kitchen now?"

"We have to get some energy if we want to continue this."

"Continue this? Didn't we just finish it?"

He grinned. "Babe, I'm just getting started."

She laughed, and kissed him again, slowly, as if to seal the agreement, but her kisses became more languid and quieter, as if she was trying to savor the moment. He certainly was.

"I'm glad. But… is it okay if we keep this between us?" She asked.

He was pretty sure he would have agreed to anything she said at this point. So he nodded. No objections from him. They needed to find their own footing first.

"Yeah, sure," he touched his nose against hers. "You got yourself a deal."

"Should I work on sending out the releases?" she arched her eyebrow, her calf running from his foot to his hip as she moved her leg.

He hissed. "You're so good at releases."

He leaned down and took her earlobe between his teeth.

"Mm, you're not so bad yourself," she mumbled as he buried his head into her neck, feeling the heavenly smell of her hair and her skin warm against his fingertips. "Forget dinner. Let's just stay in bed."

He smiled against her skin.

Definitely better than his dreams.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After last night's episode I figured an AU could be nice to go back to ;) So now we're back on track with these two, a little changed from how they started for obvious reasons. Rating for this chapter is M. Hope everyone likes it! Let me know your thoughts :)

 

**CHAPTER 8**

They found out the next day that it didn't matter if they drove to work together and Ray dropped Donna a block from the firm during rush hour in lower Manhattan. They were a little late already — well, to Donna's standards, anyway, but she was surprised to see Harvey enter the elevator just as she settled on the corner after pressing the number 50.

"Harvey," she said, surprised, the hand bringing her coffee to her lips stopping midway.

"Donna," Harvey greeted her, standing beside her.

There were three other people in the elevator with them and she was glad for it, even though she felt Harvey's presence so close next to her, even at a respectable distance. Memories of the past night ran through her head — his lips on her skin, the way his hands touched her, the frenzy she felt when he took her inside the firm's restroom…

It was too much. She brought the coffee to her lips in a vain attempt to distract herself, and did her best to ignore him, even though just a little over an hour ago he was inside her.

Donna didn't think this elevator had ever been so hot. Maybe it was the coffee, or air conditioning wasn't working as well as usual? Surely this couldn't be just her.

It certainly didn't help when she felt Harvey's hand on her lower back — and then lower as it cupped the curve of her behind. She was suddenly very glad she chose the jumpsuit instead of the dress because she just knew he wouldn't even bother trying to control himself today — of all days. She was already preparing for someone to comment on her tardiness, and it certainly wouldn't help matters if Harvey kept pulling this kind of thing. Especially considering they more or less agreed to keep this private.

Luckily for them — or maybe not — the three other occupants of the elevator left as it reached the twentieth floor. Donna kept her eyes to the door, unwilling to make eye contact with Harvey in this closed space with just the two of them. She had handled five years without being touched by him, and yet now she felt as if her body was tingling just from his palm on her lower back.

"Just one coffee?" Harvey asked as soon as the doors closed.

"You were supposed to be here already," Donna replied, offering the cup to him.

He took it, taking a sip of her coffee. It was such a silly thing, but it felt so intimate — for him to drink from the same cup she had been drinking. Mitchell used to complain about her coffee being too sweet, about vanilla not being that good and here was Harvey, absolutely cherishing her coffee because she knew he still drank his similar to hers. Perhaps not as sweet, but still similar.

"We got stuck a block from here. I walked," he answered. "Nice jumpsuit."

This time she looked back at him, narrowing her eyes. He had already seen the jumpsuit. His palm was still on her backside.

"Thank you."

"Nice underwear too," Harvey commented casually. "I can't see it now, but I remember it. Burgundy, is it? Definitely your color."

She gaped at him. They were still on the fortieth floor. "Stop it."

"No one's listening," he shrugged. His palm moved to the curve of her hip, bringing her closer.

"I am. This is so unprofessional."

"What we did yesterday was way more unprofessional."

Donna let out a laugh — she couldn't help it. It wasn't as if they hadn't been adventurous in the past but it simply felt different now. Sure, the restroom had definitely been a first, but she had forgotten how good it was with him, how in tune they both were. Perhaps it was the fact that they were older now, and different from the way they used to be, but last night — and this morning — felt like nothing she had ever experienced.

She was still afraid, she knew that. Perhaps even more so than yesterday. But she felt invincible at the same time.

It was a weird feeling, and unlike any she had experienced before. Even with Harvey.

"Behave," she asked him, taking her coffee back.

"On one condition," Harvey said, turning towards her, the hand that had been on her hip now inside his pocket. He leaned his side against the wall.

She rolled her eyes and pretended not to miss the contact. "Name it."

"Let me cook you dinner," he continued. "You, me, my place."

His place. The last time she had been there she had taken all her clothes and left a single cactus and him behind. She didn't think she'd ever forget that day. Last night she had simply asked Ray to take them to her place — a different apartment from the one Harvey used to know. Same address, but completely renovated. Before, they hadn't really spent much time there anyway. Now… she wasn't sure what they were doing now.

She wasn't sure if she was ready to face his condo again, but she'd have to, eventually. If she wanted to make this work.

Whatever the hell  _this_ was.

She took a deep breath, turned a little towards him and reached for his tie, straightening it slightly. They were in a hurry to leave her place this morning.

"Okay," she said at last. "Meet you there at eight?"

He grinned at her, that big ol' grin. Her heart skipped a beat.

"It's a date," he said, and it sounded too much like an announcement.

She thought she'd feel scared of that possibility of a date with Harvey again, but she felt butterflies in her stomach from the way he smiled at her as the doors opened and he gestured for her to leave the elevator first. He followed her closely by, and they walked through the halls together — his hands in his pockets, hers holding her bag and the coffee. Their assistants had their cubicles together and Donna nodded at Bianca and stopped by her cubicle to check her messages while Amy simply wasn't there and Harvey winked at her before heading to his office.

Bianca gave her a funny look. "You're a little later than usual today and got here with him. What's going on?"

"He's being silly because I didn't get him a coffee and I reminded him I'm not his assistant anymore," Donna replied, the lie easy on her lips, while checking over the messages. "Besides, you and Amy got here a little later than usual too and I'm not judging."

"Why would— How do you know?" Bianca gaped at her.

"I'm Donna," she gave her a smile. "Hold my calls until I finish calling these back, will you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She walked to her office, and she tried really hard not to look at Harvey while she passed by his but she could feel his eyes on her and she couldn't ignore him anymore — and so she met his eyes, blush running from her neck to her cheeks, and shook her head as a smile danced on her lips.

Less than twelve hours in and she already felt like her whole life had changed.

Perhaps it really had.

* * *

Harvey threw the folder on Mike's desk and waited for the kid to look up. He couldn't help but feel especially giving today; the firm was going well, he was looking to make peace with Mike after their latest altercation, and he was pretty sure Louis was under control. It also helped that he had spent the last twelve hours making up for lost time with Donna and she had agreed to have dinner with him tonight.

Which was especially good, considering they ended up having a very late night pizza in Donna's bed yesterday. Pizza had never seemed so appealing.

"What is it?" Mike frowned, opening the folder to check the files. His eyebrows shot up. "Another  _pro bono_?"

"I figured you'd be interested in this one," Harvey shrugged.

"Thanks. I'm just surprised you're giving me another one when I just got one yesterday," Mike said, a little reluctant. "You look happy for this time of the morning."

"What can I say? I woke up on the right side of the bed," Harvey grinned.

"Did that bed happen to have a woman in it?" Mike let out a laugh. "A redhead maybe?"

"Enjoy the case, Mike," Harvey turned around to leave.

"I'm gonna find out, you know!" Mike said after him.

Harvey shook his head. "Bye, Mike!"

* * *

The bathroom's mirror was blurry from the steam of the shower and Donna rubbed it slightly to get a better view of herself. Having been invited over in advance she had had time to go home and get a spare change of clothes and basic necessities before coming over to his condo.

It had been… better than she had expected.

Harvey's condo was still the same as it had been five years ago. Not much had changed — although the cactus she had left grew a little. She had to give it to him that he didn't let it die. When she commented on it before dinner — steak and fries because those were Harvey's specialty — he had simply told her he would never let it die.

That had been all the answer she needed.

Waking up with Harvey was something that she didn't have to get used to — she had always loved lingering in bed with him, laughing and playing and touching, but it was different now. She couldn't exactly point it out the day before but she could see it now — it wasn't that the situation was different. They were different. Five years had changed them, their separation had changed them. She thought she liked the people they were now better than the people they used to be.

It was still tentative, of course. She could feel her heart beating more freely for him this morning. She could see herself surrendering to him in more ways than just physical. Even sex was different now — sure, it was still playful, it was still the best she had ever had but perhaps even more so. He just… looked at her differently.

She didn't let herself think too much about that. Not this soon.

She put on his robe and looked for her toothbrush in the bag she had brought over.

"There's a new toothbrush under the sink," Harvey said from the shower, as if he had been watching her through the glass the entire time. Perhaps he had.

Donna smirked. "It's fine, I brought my own."

Her reflection on the mirror stared back at her — eyes fresh from sleep, a little shiny from the joint shower, her hair still wet and her cheeks a little rosy. She looked happy because she was happy.

"Maybe you should keep a few things here," Harvey's voice interrupted her thoughts just as she started brushing her teeth.

Her movements faltered slightly. They were on day two of this and he was already suggesting this… exchange of belongings for convenience. It wasn't as if she was against it, because it was convenient, but she wondered if they were falling into a routine they had tried to get into in the past — a routine between both their places and work and fun. Back then, they didn't spend all their weekdays together — a rule she had made, because she was his secretary and he was her boss and they needed boundaries. After a while she would spend more time at his place than at hers, and while it had been a natural change it came with the fact that Harvey wasn't in a place where they would ever live together for real… and perhaps she pushed it a little.

She didn't want to make the same mistakes again.

"What happened to going slowly?" Donna asked once she was done.

The shower turned off and Harvey stepped out. She leaned her hip against the marble of the sink to properly look at him, not bothering to pretend she didn't admire his body — he had certainly worked out more for the past few years and she was definitely behind it. One hundred percent. He threw a grin her way as he dried himself off; she arched her eyebrows, waiting for an answer. She didn't have a one-track mind like him, after all.

"We're going slowly," he shrugged. "It would be easier if we kept some stuff in each other's places, that's all."

"You're very certain this will last," she commented, feeling a little nervous all of a sudden.

They had issues last time. It would be naive to think they wouldn't have any this time around.

Harvey tied the towel around his waist and walked towards her. Their eyes met and she could see the turmoil in his and wondered if it was the same for her. She wanted this to work too — what she felt with him was unlike anything she had ever felt and it truly seemed like time had only made it stronger. Being with him left her body tingling and her soul blooming and yet she was afraid this would turn as bad as it did last time.

He cupped her cheek with his palm and his thumb caressed her skin. She closed her eyes at the touch, opening them again when she felt his hand slip to her neck and his nose against hers.

"We agreed we would try," he stated, in an almost sad tone.

"I am trying," she replied.

He shook his head. "No. Together, remember? Have faith in us. You always said you had faith in me."

"I do have faith in you," she whispered, her hands resting on his chest, his skin still warm from the shower. "I want to have faith in us. I just… need some time."

"Okay," he nodded, pressing his lips against her cheek.

"I'll bring back some clothes next time I'm over," she said softly.

"Tonight?" he grinned.

She couldn't help but laugh at his eagerness.

"If we manage to get to work on time today," Donna told him. "That means no funny business, mister."

He slipped his hands from her shoulders to her waist, then nuzzled her neck and she squirmed, trying not to encourage him too much but he knew what his stubble early in the morning did to her.

"You know I love it when you wear my clothes," he mumbled against her skin.

Donna chuckled. "This is just a robe."

"It's never just a robe with you," Harvey told her as he pulled away, only to kiss her lips. "Never just a shirt or a sweatshirt."

"What can I say, they all want to be worn by Donna," she shrugged, smiling into the next kiss and the next and the next.

She loved his kisses. They complimented each other even in that, honestly — she loved the way he slipped his tongue in her mouth, the way they rolled together, lazily or in a frenzy, and she loved the short kisses and the noisy kisses and the languid kisses.

It was really because of the noisy, playful kisses that they didn't hear the bedroom door opening out of nowhere, and Donna only jumped when she heard a man's voice echo from the bedroom.

"Huh. He didn't even bother making his bed."

Her first instinct was to be terrified someone had broken in, but the look on Harvey's face and the fact that she suddenly realized she knew that voice made her reconsider.

"All we need to find is a woman for this bachelor pad to be complete," the man continued, the steps coming closer to the bathroom — complete with its open door.

It all happened very quickly.

"Shit," Harvey mumbled.

"Damn," Robert Zane said as he got a clear view of the bedroom.

"Robert?" Donna yelped.

She was suddenly very aware she was wearing a loosely tied oversized robe in Harvey's bathroom. With Harvey still in very close proximity to her.

She pushed him away slightly and tried to close her robe further. Harvey decided it was for the best to hold the towel on his waist as well, and it was a good thing because Rachel showed up in his bedroom next.

"What— oh my God," Rachel said, astonished. "I'm so sorry— _Donna_?"

Harvey chose this very moment to hide behind her — she supposed it was fair because she was more covered up than him, even if it was a very silly thing to do.

"Hey, Rach," Donna cleared her throat. "Robert."

The older man nodded at her. Rachel's wide eyes were enough to tell her they didn't expect to find Harvey at home today — especially not with her.

A disaster, truly.

"We're gonna go," Rachel said quickly, motioning to the living room.

"No, uh, just let us get dressed and I'll give you a tour of the place," Harvey stammered behind her.

A tour of the place? Was this a zoo now?

"We've seen it all, no worries," Rachel dismissed the idea. "I'll see you at work. Come on, Dad."

"We've seen it all, alright," Robert mumbled under his breath, but they all heard it.

Another pointed look from Rachel told her this wasn't the end of it and then they were off — Donna distinctly heard laughter as soon as the front door closed and she groaned, leaving the bathroom immediately and leaving Harvey behind.

"What the hell just happened? She asked, close to fuming now.

"Sorry, I gave her the key to show the place to Robert and see if it's fit for the wedding," Harvey said, following her close by. "That was like three days ago. I wasn't planning on this."

She took off the robe unceremoniously, putting on her underwear as she glared at him.

"People weren't supposed to know yet, Harvey," she told him quietly. She wasn't really sure she was ready for the inevitable questioning from Rachel. "I wanted to keep this between us for a while."

"It doesn't matter to them if we're together," he told her, and she avoided his eyes as she put on her bra — dark purple, to match with the dress she had chosen. "I don't care if they know. We're equals now."

" _I_  care if they know," she turned around to meet his eyes. "I just… wanted some time to figure this out by myself."

"By yourself?" He repeated. "What am I doing here, Donna? 'Cause if you can't think of the two of us together I don't know what we're doing here."

"We're trying. Baby steps, Harvey," she asked it if him. He had agreed to it, yesterday morning.

He turned around to dress as well and she ignored the tired sigh that escaped his lips; she didn't have to look at him to know he had a sad look in his eyes.

* * *

Donna was restless.

Ever since finding out that someone had been giving Bratton inside information of the firm, she had been ready on a fight or flight mode — wondering if her position was indeed earned, if she had made the right call by firing Stephanie Patel for insubordination, if she would be able to help Harvey with this even if it had been her fault to begin with.

She was still learning to be COO, and it wasn't easy.

The fact that they didn't leave his apartment in the best of terms weighted on her as well. It wasn't that she didn't want a relationship with, she just… needed time to deal with it. The rumors would come no matter what, and she had faced enough of that as his secretary, but now he was managing partner and she was COO and she was absolutely certain people would still take what they wanted from it, even if it wasn't true. It wasn't going to be easy, of that she was sure.

Still, she was happy she had been able to avoid talking to Rachel about this morning, what with the firm being attacked once more. That conversation would come, she was sure, but not today.

For that, she was glad.

The contracts she had been going over were starting to appear hazy before her eyes. It was close to eight, and she hadn't been getting enough sleep as of late. Putting the papers down, she leaned back on her chair and contemplated having a drink, but she was pretty sure no work would get done if she started drinking. Picking up her pen again, she sighed and went back to the task at hand, though she kept checking her phone to make sure she didn't get any missed calls from Rachel.

Nothing yet.

She turned a page, a little impatient, when her landline started ringing — she jumped a little in her seat. She picked it up.

"This is Donna Paulsen," she said, already knowing it wouldn't be Rachel calling.

"Donna," Harvey's voice reached her ears.

"Harvey, how did it go?" Donna asked, her heart beating a little faster at the sound of his voice — whether it was because he could have made peace with Bratton or because it was just— well,  _him_.

"I didn't think it mattered before, but I need to know who's been feeding them inside information," he told her.

Shit. It wasn't over yet.

She sighed.

"I'm already working on it, Harvey," she told him.

"Good. Listen, I have a meeting with Robert now," he continued. "I could drive by that Thai place you used to like then pick you up at the firm later. How does that sound?"

She took a deep breath. "I have a lot of work to do, Harvey, and I really need to get a move on this Bratton deal before it's too late."

She heard him stop walking, wherever he was, and a sigh escaped his lips.

"Alright."

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just—"

"It's fine, Donna. We'll talk tomorrow," he interrupted her, ending the call.

It wasn't that she didn't want to, not really — she just wasn't sure she could face him and not tell him she was possibly the culprit of this whole situation, whether it was an accident or not. She needed to do this for herself, for her position, and she didn't want to disappoint him because he had trusted her when he hired her.

Before she could think of calling him back, however, her phone was vibrating — a call from Rachel. She picked it up without hesitating.

"Rachel, please tell me that you got her to back off," Donna spoke.

"It wasn't her," Rachel replied.

"What do you mean, it wasn't her?" Donna frowned, sitting back on her chair. "It had to be her."

"Donna, I apologized to her. I threatened her, and I cajoled her. Trust me, it wasn't her," Rachel continued. Donna sighed, closing her eyes for a second. "Are you okay?"

Donna shrugged. "I suppose I should be relieved it's not her, but I promised Harvey I'd find the leak and now we have another dead end."

"Well, it wasn't your fault. I'm sure Harvey will understand," her friend said, a slight teasing in her voice. "At least from what I saw this morning."

Donna let out a laugh, relieved that her friend wasn't holding a grudge for the whole situation.

"Rachel, look, I didn't mean that stuff that I said before about not caring about your appointment."

"I know."

"Well, did you make it? 'Cause I'd hate to think you missed it for nothing."

"I'm walking in right now. Don't worry, I'm right on time," Rachel said softly. "Girls night this week?"

Donna closed her eyes. "Please."

Suddenly the prospect of talking to her friend about Harvey wasn't so bad anymore. She bid Rachel goodbye and stared at the office around her — she might as well start working on who else could be the leak, since she knew Harvey enough that he wouldn't call her enough and insist they meet. Maybe it was her pride speaking, but some space between them could be good… especially considering how tense the work atmosphere was. They needed a proper separation between personal and professional lives and perhaps this was the way to do it.

Even if she already missed him and couldn't admit it to herself.

* * *

He found her in conference room 2, files and boxes scattered all over the table. They had only spoken briefly in the morning, and only about work — a part of him wondered if they'd ever relive anything they had shared in the past two days. Her answer yesterday had been straight to the point — she didn't want to come over, and she had said she wanted some space — and he couldn't lie to himself: the fact that she still wanted to keep this relationship a secret bothered him.

Still, if she wanted space to think things over, he'd give it to her. Even if he thought it wasn't necessary. He knew exactly what he wanted.

He opened the glass door quietly — it was late but not late enough that people weren't still around. The last couple of days had been long and he had barely slept last night — he just wanted this over, to be honest.

"Hey. I came here to tell you that it's over," he said, choosing to stand across from her. She was wearing a bright blue dress that fit her well, from the way it hugged her curves and it enhanced her chest around the cleavage; he wanted to take it off. "You should go home and get some rest. I know you've been working around the clock on this thing."

He didn't expect much, though, so he turned around because he could do something stupid, like invite her over again or kiss her in the middle of the office. This wasn't who they were — apparently.

"I'm sorry, Harvey," Donna said, and he turned around, frowning at her words.

"What do you mean?"

"You had faith in me, you hired me. I never found who it was," she explained, putting the papers she had been holding on the table. "I'm sorry if I let you down, I just… I needed to prove I could do this."

His eyes softened at his words.

"You've never let me down, Donna," he said honestly. "Don't worry about it. This wasn't anyone's fault in the end. You have nothing to prove."

"I have everything to prove here," she shrugged, taking a deep breath. "Did you hire me just because you wanted to sleep with me?"

Harvey made a face. "What?"

"That's what people will say when we tell them we're together," she replied. "It's not that different from when I was your secretary. You're the man, Harvey. You don't get affected by the rumors."

"We'll face whatever rumors together," he assured her. "This is about our reputations, both of them, and I won't let anyone say shit about yours."

"But they will anyway, and what I mean is," she continued, "I wanted some peaceful time before facing that. That's… all I meant when I said I wanted to figure things out. Not that I needed to do this by myself."

Harvey nodded. He could understand that. "For the record, I hired you because I know you're capable of doing this. Hell, I don't think there's anyone more capable of this job than you."

She nodded, then looked down and he heard her sniff — the sound was enough to make him step closer to her side of the table, although his steps were tentative. Before he could reach her, however, she looked up again — eyes bright with unshed tears, but he thought he saw relief in them as well.

"You okay?" He asked, rooted on his spot.

"Yeah, it's just… that's a really good thing to hear," she confessed, and this time she was the one to step closer. "I… I missed you. Last night."

Harvey pursed his lips — she was right in front of him, but he kept his hands to himself. "I missed you too."

Before he knew it, however, her lips were on his — her hands were on his shoulder and he was kissing her back because that was all he could do — he could never not do that. Even if the office was off-limits, she started it — and a second later his hands were on her waist, pulling her closer, and he didn't give a damn if anyone was passing by and could see them through the glass walls. It had only been thirty-six hours since their last kiss in his bathroom yesterday morning and he already felt as if he had been dying from thirst.

"Thought we had an office rule," he teased her as their lips parted.

Donna shook her head. "Rules are overrated."

He couldn't resist kissing her again, soft and slow, just to make sure she knew how much he appreciated this,  _her_ in his life.

"Is the offer for Thai food still standing?" She asked when they pulled away.

Harvey smiled, the stress from the last day already slipping from his shoulders just from one touch of hers.

"For you? Always," he told her softly, nudging his nose against hers.

She smiled back, her hands slipping away from him only to reach for his own. "Let's go, then."

He knew things would never be simple, but he was sure they could face whatever came their way as long as they stood together, on the same page; whether they came for him or for her or their careers, it wouldn't matter because he'd make sure no one hurt her on the way. Tonight, however, after two long days spent separately, he didn't even care that he still needed to make a few calls.

They walked through the firm hand in hand and even though things weren't simple, she made it look like they were — when she looked at him with those gentle hazel eyes and that smile on her lips, he had no doubt they'd be alright.

* * *

"You remember when we visited Marcus and he didn't rest until you switched teams?" Harvey asked mid-laughter. "God, he was so annoying."

"You didn't want to let me do it," Donna shook her head. "As if I cared. I only pretended to care so it meant more to him."

Harvey's eyes softened. "I know you did. Thank you."

"No problem. Just don't tell him I'm still a Yankees fan," Donna shrugged, the smile still reaching her eyes.

He had asked Ray to stop by the shitty Thai place Donna used to like, and he didn't even mind the food because the last time he had had it had been with her, roughly five years ago. Afterwards they were headed to Donna's place; now the leftovers were in the fridge and their plates were taken from the table as they sat and drank together — wine for Donna, scotch for him. Their chairs were close together, and her hand rested on his thigh while his hand rested on hers. Conversation flowed easily between them — a definite progress in his opinion.

"I mean it, Donna," he said as he caressed her hand. "I'm glad you were there for him. To be honest, I don't know if I would have been if it wasn't for you."

She smiled sweetly at him, probably not quite believing him but it was the truth. He wondered if Marcus would have even called when he was sick if it hadn't been for Donna.

"How is he, by the way?" She asked after taking a sip of her wine.

"He's good. He and Katie had another kid. Hailey," Harvey told her. "She's four, I think."

"That's a cute age," Donna commented.

"I haven't visited them for two years. Saw Marcus briefly last time, but not the kids," he confessed. "They're good kids, though."

"You should take some time. Visit them," she suggested.

"Would you come with me?" Harvey asked, half teasing and half serious, arching his eyebrows.

Donna bit her lip, a clear sign that she was trying not to smile.

"I would if my managing partner allowed it," she teased. "Oh, and only if you met my parents for dinner."

Harvey groaned. "There's the catch."

She laughed, standing up to clear her now empty glass from the table.

"I'm gonna get some water, you want anything?"

He shook his head and watched as she walked from the dining room to the kitchen. Watched as she put away her wine glass and drank water and kept watching as she walked back towards him.

A night without her had been too much. They had spent too many nights apart for him not to miss her.

Before she could sit back down, however, he reached for her hand, and she stood in front of him — sans heels but still in the electric blue dress she had worn for work.

"I'll meet with your parents if you want me to," he admitted, this time seriously.

Donna watched him quietly. "Even my dad?"

"Even your dad," he accepted.

No matter how at odds his relationship with Jim Paulsen had been, he was determined to make it right this time around.

"Okay. I'll arrange it for a few months from now, give you enough time to prepare," she joked, running her fingers through his hair.

He chuckled at her, pressing his lips against her stomach and his hands roaming around her back.

"This dress is a walking crime on you," he commented.

Donna frowned. "Why's that?"

"Too good on you. Too bad for me because I can't see what's underneath," he grinned.

"Well, that will simply not do, huh?" Donna replied, taking a small step back, turning around so he could reach for her zipper.

He pulled the zipper down slowly, his thumb caressing her spine as he opened the back of her dress. What was underneath, as usual, did not disappoint. She was wearing black lacy underwear, and he felt his mouth water as the dress slipped her hips and fell onto the floor rather unceremoniously. He didn't care that he was still wearing his vest and tie and shirt, all he wanted was to see her, to worship her the way she should be worshipped. His hands rested on her ass as he looked up, his eyes meeting hers over her shoulder. With one swift movement, he turned her around.

Pressing kisses on her lower stomach, he slid her panties down her legs, leaving her wearing only her bra, and parted her legs just a little so he could properly reach her. Her breaths were labored in anticipation, her hands already gripping his shoulders, and he felt a rush of lust run through his body. She was beautiful like this, when she surrendered to him, when she let him love her.

He kissed her thighs first, languid, open-mouthed kisses until he reached his destination; he licked her softly, spreading her open for him with the help of one hand while the other caressed the back of her thigh. She tasted soft, amazing against his tongue, and she writhed when he licked her clit at the end of the journey, teasing her for a few seconds before moving to her center, licking inside her. What was interesting was that Donna had always been a vocal lover, but when he pleasures her like this she was always soft, mellow against his touches, as if she was offering all of herself for him to take.

He gave her lips a few kisses before centering on her clit again, his tongue fluttering against her in a rhythm he knew she loved. He felt the way her hand gripped his shoulders, while her other pulled at his hair — a few seconds later she was moaning, her legs shaking as she reached her peak; he held her and kept on touching her until she pushed his head away, the pleasure too much for her to handle. Her breathing was fast when she leaned down to kiss him and he pulled her onto his lap.

Things got fast after that. What had started gentle became wild, and soon she was sitting on his cock and riding him, his hands on her ass and he urged her closer and closer until there was nothing between them besides sweat and shared breathing.

It was only later, in bed, naked chest against naked chest, that he felt as if his heartbeat was going back to normal. Red hair all over the pillow as he caressed the tiny freckles on her arms, one of her legs on top of his and the other between his knees. They had taken a quick shower before bed and her skin was cool and smelled like lilac. They spent some time like this — together, not really talking, hands and eyes caressing each other, cherishing their time together.

"I couldn't talk about you before, you know," he revealed, his voice soft in the stillness of the dark. "It just… hurt."

"I'm sorry," Donna said, her hands running over his sides to rest on his chest. "If it makes any difference, it was the same for me."

"Don't be sorry," Harvey shook his head. "It doesn't matter anymore. We're here now."

She smiled, eyelids fluttering slightly. It was late. "Maybe this is where we were always supposed to be."

He smiled back. "The way you can see things is just beyond my mind," he teased. "That's what I love about you."

She pulled away slightly, a funny look on her face. "Love about me?"

He nodded. "Love about you."

He kissed her again, languidly, slowly, savoring every quarter of a second of her in his arms.

They were getting there.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

The smell of coffee woke her — that and the kisses on her neck. She could smell his cologne and his breathing on the crook of her neck, goosebumps running through her body. He had always had this effect on her and it hadn't changed. She giggled against his ministrations, her voice a little scratchy from sleep.

"Someone's in a good mood," she said, opening her eyes slowly.

She was slightly disappointed in seeing him mostly dressed for work — only his jacket is missing — but their job never ended, the days were always long and sometimes they were early and late at the same time. He gave her a grin though, and she liked that they were feeling more comfortable today. It was ridiculous how much she had missed him during their night away from each other — it was never even like that before, they had always had their space. It was different now, and she knew that, and she was beginning to understand that living in this bubble would bring nothing to their relationship if they wanted to move forward.

"I'm always in a good mood when you're the first thing I see when I wake up," Harvey teased. "Sorry, Mike called. Gotta go in for a deposition."

She ran her fingers down his tie. "Have a good one."

"Thanks. Enjoy your coffee," he winked at her, groaning as he pulled away and stood up. Donna stretched her arms a little, then sat up, reaching for the cup on her nightstand. "Just so you know, I'll expect a good morning kiss at the office, since, you know, you kissed me there last night. Plus we said fuck you to the rules."

"I don't think those were the words I used but whatever," she rolled her eyes goodnaturedly, taking a sip of the coffee — steaming hot and just the right amount of sugar and vanilla she liked. She couldn't help but let out an appreciative groan.

"Does it matter?" Harvey grinned before making his way to her closet.

She sat against the headboard, reaching for her phone and checking her notifications; four from Louis, saying nothing important save for his choice of tie for the day, and one from Rachel, bright and early, asking her out for a girls' night. She replied to Rachel right away, agreeing to the night out and telling her they'd discuss the details later. She was taking another sip of her coffee when Harvey left her closet, now ready to go to work.

"Ray will take you to class later," he told her softly. "I was thinking we could go to Del Posto tonight. To celebrate your last class."

Donna smiled sheepishly at him. "I may have just agreed to go out for drinks with Rachel. She's been begging me for a night out for weeks."

She hadn't gone to Del Posto in years — the last time had been with him even. It was tempting.

Harvey shrugged. "Tomorrow, then?"

Donna nodded. "Sure."

He grinned. "It's a date."

She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling and he winked at her, leaving her. It was only when she heard her front door close that she let out a giggle, suddenly feeling too much like a schoolgirl and her first crush. She was no schoolgirl and Harvey was definitely not her first crush, but he had been her first love — and he still was.

It was liberating to admit so to herself.

She took her time, since today was her last day of her MBA; the class was a mere formality and she was pretty sure she'd be back at the firm before noon. Still, she drank her coffee slowly and savored it, even snapping a picture of it for Instagram; she took extra care choosing which dress to wear — dark green, Harvey's favorite color on her — and decided a simple toast with butter would do for breakfast. It was only when she was leaving, knowing Ray was already waiting for her downstairs, that she noticed the keychain on her hallway table. One key, a simple leather keychain attached to it, and a note from Harvey.

_Come over after your girls night out. H._

Her fingers traced the key slowly, its weight heavy when she considered the symbolism. They had been at this second try for about a month now, and maybe it was too soon for this but she was tired of second guessing and trying to predict the future. She put the key next to her own set in her bag and left. She would think about using the key tonight.

* * *

"The restroom?" Rachel repeated, a little gobsmacked. "Oh my God, Donna."

"Don't even, Ms. file room," Donna rolled her eyes. "It just happened."

They had chosen a bar close to the firm for their happy hour — it was a little later than happy hour and they had already shared a few cocktails and some snacks.

"And now you're… _together_ together?" Rachel asked. "You two were all everyone was talking about today."

Donna shrugged. "I guess so. It's… complicated," she huffed. "I wanted to keep this between the two of us a little longer, just to be sure."

Rachel frowned. "To be sure of what?"

"That he's not playing. I don't know," she let out a breath. "I know Harvey would never play me, but… I don't want a repeat of last time, and I'd hate to have to deal with those vultures questioning our professionalism like last time."

"Come on, Donna. Everyone was pretty much expecting you two to happen at some point. I don't think you'll have much to worry about," Rachel said softly. "Maybe you're just afraid of letting go this time around. Last time was…"

"A disaster, I know. Resigning didn't help," Donna breathed. "I guess I'm afraid of making the same mistakes again. I'm not saying I regret everything, but we haven't even talked about before, you know. It's in the past and it should stay there, but… sometimes the past comes back to bite you in the butt."

"Do you regret not trying harder last time?" Rachel frowned.

Donna huffed. "No. I couldn't try on my own," she played with the straw on her cocktail. "I think I regret putting him over myself, over us. It hurt to leave, but I did it for him at the end. I knew he wasn't ready and I had to give him time, but it hurt like hell."

Rachel patted the back of her hand in an almost motherly way.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I've never seen him act like he's been acting lately," her friend said. "Mike said he's been happy."

Donna let out a chuckle. "Mike would notice that."

Rachel tilted her head. "I think he's ready now, Donna. The question is… are you?"

Donna met her friend's gaze, knowing that was the question of the century. She smiled.

"I'm scared shitless," she admitted. "But also… I'm Donna."

Rachel laughed. "And what does that mean?"

"It means I've been ready for a while," she shrugged. "He gave me a key to his condo, you know."

Rachel arched her eyebrows. "Ooh, that's serious."

"And asked me out on a date."

"Romantic."

"It's been a week," Donna continued. "Harvey never did milestones."

Rachel shrugged. "Maybe he does now."

"You're really rooting for him, aren't you?" Donna narrowed her eyes.

"I'm rooting for you," Rachel corrected her. "I just so happen to think you guys are good together. Which begs the question… was it as good as it used to be?"

Donna made a face, though they both knew it was just for show. She shrugged, tilting her head nonchalantly.

"My skin has never been so good," Donna admitted.

"I _knew_ it."

* * *

It was late by the time he heard the door open, and he wasn't gonna admit he had been lying awake wondering if she'd come, but there was no use in lying to himself; he was relieved that she came over.

He kept still on the bed, listening to her movements — she took off her heels upon entering but he could guess she was slightly tipsy — or even downright drunk really — and she wasn't her usual stealthy self. He heard her disappear into the bathroom and was starting to nod off when he felt the mattress dip beside him, and her arms tentatively wrapping around him from behind as she snuggled against his back. He let out a slow, relaxed breath, and blindly reached for her hand.

"Didn't mean to wake you," she whispered against his ear.

He pressed his lips against her fingers. "It's fine. Glad you came over."

He heard the smile on her lips as she spoke. "Me too."

Harvey felt her kiss on the back of his neck and wondered how it was that he lived without her for so long.

He didn't want to live like that again.

* * *

"And then you stole my grapefruit," Harvey accused her.

Donna laughed — she had been doing that a lot over dinner. Despite an initial awkwardness, their date was going well; reminiscing on old times, talking about new ones. The food had been great and dessert had been fantastic and now they were just drinking wine and sharing in the general feeling that they didn't want this to end. It didn't have to, when they got home, but it was still different.

"I recovered it so it was mine by right," she shrugged. "We were so silly."

"Come on. We're still silly," he grinned. "You more than me, though."

"You're an idiot," she shook her head. "This is nice, by the way. Thanks for inviting me here today. I haven't been here in years."

"Yeah, same. It felt wrong without you," Harvey confessed. "I know I'm not Rachel and we're not getting hammered—"

"Hey, I wasn't hammered last night," she interrupted.

Harvey smirked. "As I was saying, this is a good celebration. You've got an MBA. We've been doing this for like a week."

Donna fought not to smile, and lost completely. She looked down, biting her lip for a moment before meeting his gaze. "I thought you didn't do milestones."

"I did with you," he arched his eyebrows.

"Well, yeah, but it was always our work milestone," she reminded him. "The day I agreed to come with you to Pearson Hardman."

"And the day you agreed to make me an exception to your rule and we agreed to keep seeing each other," Harvey said. "Come on, you knew it wasn't always about work."

"It's nice to hear it, though," she smiled. "So… we're celebrating our eight days since that restroom escapade, huh?"

"Eight days since you let me come home with you," he corrected. "I think that's worth celebrating, don't you?"

Their eyes met. She felt a tingling within her body — the thrill of being happy, of feeling like things were finally working out. They still had a lot to figure out, but being clear with each other was a good start, a better one than what they had years ago. Yes, work was still a major thing in their lives, both their lives — but she thought the fact that she didn't live her work life for him helped a lot and changed their dynamics completely.

It felt good to be here with him. To be the cause of the crinkles around his eyes when he smiled, to see that big grin directed at her. It was so easy to fall into an intimacy with him, one that she was sure she'd never recover from.

She never did before. It wouldn't happen now.

Now, however… they had the hope in their hearts that this could work out. The past was in the past and it should stay there, but it's still very much a part of them both and she was glad they could access it together.

"Yeah. That's worth celebrating," she agreed at last. "That being said… I have something for you. It's not really a gift or anything, but…"

She reached for her bag, feeling a little flustered — it wasn't a grand gesture or anything, but they had always been cautious about their PDA and that included exchanging gifts in public. Then again, this wasn't really a gift; it was more like a mutual understanding. She hoped he'd see it that way, anyway.

She put the key on the table between them and tried not to look so expectantly at him. Harvey looked at the key for a moment before reaching over to take it, and she let out a relieved breath. He didn't ask for his key back yesterday, and she thought this could be an interesting step for them. They trusted each other, they knew each other, they agreed they were in this together. It made sense.

It was natural, really. Like his key in her bag.

"I gave you a keychain with mine," he said as he picked it up.

Donna glared at him. "I asked Bianca to make a copy this afternoon. This is the best I got today."

"It's fine, we'll just pick one together. Or I'll just add it to mine," he grinned. "Can't wait to use it."

"You could use it tonight when we get to my place," she suggested.

"You gonna let me unlock the door?" Harvey asked, the grin never leaving his face.

"I mean, that's kinda sexy," she admitted.

"Fine, let's go," he joked. "Tomorrow you unlock the door to my place."

"We're really taking it to the next level, huh?" Donna made a face. "Next thing you know we'll be sharing dances in the living room and having god awful dinner parties with our families."

"We didn't have many of those before," Harvey concluded. "Better late than never. I think my mom's visiting soon, so we could start with that."

Knowing how hard his relationship with his mother was, how amazing it was that they were finally reaching out to each other… it gave Donna a fuzzy feeling in her chest.

"I'd love that, Harvey."

He smiled at her, that soft, guarded smile of his. It made her heart skip a beat.

"The next level it is, then."

He raised his glass towards her and she did the same to him.

Going forward, one step at a time.

* * *

Harvey had been nursing a glass of scotch — albeit very slowly — while catching up on some new files when Louis strutted in his office, looking too hyped for this hour; Harvey himself was only still into the firm because he had been done with his work for about half an hour and he knew Donna still had some work to do, so he decided to wait her out. He gave Louis the information he needed — some bullshit about the associates that Harvey personally didn't care about — then offered him some scotch, which he honestly rarely did.

"You look like you need it," Harvey commented, reaching for the decanter.

Louis didn't immediately agree to it, but took the glass nonetheless. The action in itself told Harvey things weren't as normal as he initially thought.

"Everything okay?" Harvey frowned as he sat back on the chair; Louis took the couch.

It wasn't that he was worried about Louis. He was just… bored.

That really was all there was to it.

"I'm fine," Louis quickly responded. "So… you and Donna, huh?"

Harvey pursed his lips. "What about it?"

"Nothing, I'm happy for you," his partner said quietly. "I hope you know how lucky you are. Donna is an amazing woman."

"I do know that. Thanks, Louis."

"You're welcome," Louis said, taking a sip of the scotch. "Did you and Donna…"

Harvey waited, but the words died on Louis' mouth. He sighed.

"What, Louis?"

"How did you take it, when she was with Mitchell?" Louis asked.

Harvey let out another sigh. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk about it — he'd just rather not think about it. It had always been like that, even before he and Donna first got together and he had seen her going on about dates with other guys. It was just… always different between them.

"I didn't take it. I just… didn't think about it. She was out of reach, and that was it," Harvey shrugged.

"So you never thought that maybe something could happen while she was still with him?" Louis continued.

Harvey frowned. That was way too specific.

"I guess I hoped she'd break up with him and then we could make something happen," Harvey pondered, deciding to leave out that evening in his office after the bar celebrations. What Louis didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Besides… it wasn't as if things happened from then on. "I was happy to have her here anyway. As a partner and as a friend."

"But?" Louis probed.

Harvey made a face, then shrugged. "I'd have never been happy as her friend. I'd have lived but it wouldn't have been easy," he said honestly. "Why do you ask?"

Louis blinked twice, as if trying to find the words. "Sheila's living in New York. She's engaged."

"I'm sorry, Louis."

"It's fine. Life happens, I guess," Louis said, drinking the rest of his scotch. "Just… cherish Donna, Harvey. Don't let her go this time around."

Harvey nodded, watching as his friend left the office in hurried steps. He suspected there was more to Louis' mood, but he wouldn't insist on something he wasn't ready to share. If there was anything therapy taught him, it was that. Nevertheless, he took his words to heart — the truth of the matter was that in these few weeks since he and Donna got together, he was still appreciating and learning from her in a way he had never truly let himself do before, with anyone — herself included.

He knew she was it for him. He might not have known five years ago, but he sure as hell knew now.

That was how she found him — sitting in his office, holding his empty glass. She smiled and he put the glass on the coffee table, offering his arm to her as he reached her. They shared a quick conversation about regular work stuff — a case he had been supervising, some new hires she was working on. It was simple and natural, just as her hand held his arm as they walked.

They reached the elevator, and he looked curiously towards her.

"You've never been engaged before, have you?"

Donna frowned, a soft smile gracing her features as she tried to read him — narrowing her eyes in that way that he knew she was assessing the situation and concluding it was just some random thought on his part.

"No. I've seen a lot of diamonds though," she added; he already knew that. "I've never been married either, if you're wondering. Not in any way that counted in the United States."

Harvey gave her a look as she stepped into the elevator.

"Is this gonna be a repeat from Albuquerque? Because I'm not sure I'm ready for another story like that."

"Oh, honey, Albuquerque's got nothing on Tijuana," Donna teased, and he laughed even before she started her tale.

He _really_ wasn't gonna let her go.

* * *

"So…"

Donna looked up from her book as Harvey stepped out of his bedroom in his pyjamas — a loose grey shirt and dark pants. It was a rare Tuesday where they had managed to get home before 7, and she intended to make the most of it by having a very good and long night of sleep. It wasn't always that they were both in their night clothes before 10 and she kind of liked it a lot; tonight she wore white robe over a dark blue silky top with its matching shorts — she used to favor pants but sleeping with Harvey made her warmer than usual, because they usually slept wrapped around each other. Another habit from their very early relationship that didn't survive long back then.

It sure as hell was surviving now.

"What?" she asked slyly.

"I spoke to my mom this afternoon. She's coming next weekend," he said quietly, making his way into the living room. "You think we could have dinner with her?"

Donna smiled. "Yeah, sure. Does she have a preference? I'll make the reservations."

"Actually I thought we could have dinner here. Or at your place, doesn't matter," he shrugged. "What do you think?"

It was a non-issue to her, really. She had thought a restaurant might have been better for the two of them, who still were in rather tentative terms. She had met Lily only once before, when they went to Boston for his father's funeral, roughly seven years ago. It had been a very brief exchange — only condolences were shared, and then Harvey decided to get back home as soon as possible. She remembered he left her at place and then went to his, to grieve on his own. She had understood, but it had stung.

Things were different now, thankfully.

"Sounds great, but you're cooking," she acquiesced. He gave her a grin and she went back to her book.

Or tried to, because she could feel his gaze on hers. She read an entire paragraph before she noticed him moving from the edge of the couch to her front, though he didn't sit down.

"What?" she repeated, this time a little impatiently, a little curiously.

"It just occurred to me that I happen to have trial tomorrow," Harvey commented.

Donna narrowed her eyes. "That didn't just occur to you."

"No, it didn't," he admitted. "Haven't gone to trial since we got together without our thing."

She let out a chuckle, then schooled her features to be serious again. "Well, I happen to not be wearing any underwear tonight."

His eyes ran over her form and she felt a sudden rush of warmth run through her body. She closed her book with a thud, while he reached down to tug at her robe's ribbon tied on her waist.

"Really?" he drawled out, moving a little closer as her robe opened.

She opened her legs wider, allowing him to step right into her personal space, and before she knew he was kneeling in front of her, hands at her hips bringing her closer to the edge of the couch. She let out a giggle at the sudden movement, felt his grin as he kissed her knees then moved up to her thighs.

"You could check that for yourself, I suppose," she said coyly, running a hand through his hair.

He pulled away from her thigh to arch his eyebrows at her.

"I think I should check this properly," he said seriously.

"Mm-hmm."

"Very slowly too, just to be sure."

"Get on with it, then," she breathed, then felt the warmth of his tongue touch her inner thigh.

She supposed she must have been a sight sitting like this on his couch — her posture certainly wasn't the best — but it didn't matter when she kept arching her back, urging him closer. With Harvey it was always either slow and overwhelming or fast and explosive. Either way, it was always mind blowing — she had a preference for slow but they didn't always have the time for that. Tonight they did, though.

Or so she thought, when they both heard knocks from his front door. Harvey had been in the process of literally getting into her pants — or shorts, in this case. He groaned and she let out a frustrated breath.

"Whoever it is, I'll kill them," Harvey said, sitting back on his legs.

Donna sat up, tying her robe once more as he stood up and made his way to the hallway; she ran a hand through her hair to keep it tamed and reached for her book before standing up as well. Whoever it was, it couldn't be good at this hour — either a health emergency or work related, and she really wasn't in the mood for it.

She heard Mike's voice and groaned inwardly — work related. Not the worse kind of emergency, but she was really looking forward to a (not so quiet) night in with Harvey.

"Sorry, I just need your signatures on this so I can send these first thing in the morning," Mike said as he followed Harvey into the kitchen. "Hey, Donna. Sorry to bother your evening."

"It's alright," Donna said brightly. "You could have waited for Harvey to come to the firm early tomorrow morning, but that's okay."

Her blunt annoyance made Harvey snicker as he got back from his desk with a pen. Mike handed him the folder.

"Busted," Mike admitted. "I figured Harvey wouldn't be in early since his trial got postponed for two days from now."

Harvey frowned, looking up from the papers. "I didn't know it got postponed."

"Your secretary said Donna knew about it," Mike explained, looking from him to Donna.

Donna put on her best innocent face. "I got sidetracked."

Mike might have bought it, but Harvey didn't — he gave her a look that caught on her lie then returned to signing the papers. When he was done and handed Mike his folders back, the younger man walked out quickly, probably figuring he wasn't welcome any longer — she guessed it had to do with the look Harvey was giving her and the fact that he hadn't even offered him a scotch.

"You got sidetracked?" Harvey asked when the front door closed.

"I was gonna tell you," she quickly said, "after our thing."

He shook his head, grinning. She let out a dramatic sigh.

"I guess I'll just go back to my book," she continued. "No point in doing our thing now."

She turned around, but she couldn't even walk two steps before he tugged at her arm, bringing her closer and kissing her soundly in a way that left her dizzy and warm all over.

They only made it to the bedroom for the second round.

* * *

Harvey watched with a smile as Donna and his mother laughed together — about him, nonetheless. He had never actually brought a girl home, never actually introduced a girl to his mom. His dad had met Scottie briefly during college and he had known Donna well, but that was it. The fact that his mom hadn't been a part of his life for some long years meant she never got to know Donna. Harvey didn't even remember introducing them properly at his dad's funeral.

Now, however, everything had changed. Dinner had gone well and he shouldn't have been surprised that Donna and his mom hit it off right away. A lot of it had to do with him, obviously, as he was the first topic of conversation, but they soon moved to their birth towns — his being Riverside and Donna's being Cortland — and then life in Boston and Marcus and the kids. Donna listened to the tales like she used to listen to his dad — with rapid attention and quick, smart comments. He could see she had his mom charmed within the first five minutes.

He had cooked dinner, as planned, and they moved to his living room afterwards — he gave his mom a quick tour of his apartment and he was kind of nervous when she commented on the decor as if Donna had been the one to do it.

"Oh, no, my apartment has a much better decoration. Not so minimalistic," Donna joked, taking it naturally as she often would. "We don't really live together."

"We kinda do," Harvey ended up saying before he could help it. Donna was frowning when he looked at her, and his mom was trying to hide a smile. "What? We kinda do."

They had been doing this for almost two months and it was the truth — only he had just noticed it. Her clothes were occupying a rather large section of his closet, and that was the main reason why they spent more time at his place than at hers; her own closet didn't fit many of his suits after all. Surprisingly, this sudden realization didn't bother him at all. It had happened so naturally and normally he hadn't even noticed it until now.

"Well, _not officially_ ," Donna huffed. "This wasn't how I was hoping this subject would be brought up."

"Did you expect a grand gesture?" Harvey teased.

"Maybe I hoped for one," she retorted, not skipping a beat.

"I'm sorry about this," his mom quipped, though it didn't look like she was very sorry.

"It's fine, Lily," Donna said gracefully before giving Harvey a pointed look. "We never really did things the traditional way."

The smile was there for him though — and it relieved him more than anything because he was still worried she'd realize she didn't want to risk this anymore, that she didn't think it was worth risking more time on this. The way she took the whole question in stride, being natural and teasing, warmed his heart.

Not everything was lost.

They both walked his mom to the door, though she refused to stay the night in the guest bedroom and also refused his offer to call Ray. He watched as she and Donna hugged, leaning against the wall to give them a moment.

"I had hoped you were the special person Harvey talked about when he came to visit," his mom said softly into the hug. "I had heard so much about you from Gordon and Marcus. I'm glad it's you."

Donna frowned briefly at the words, and he was sure he saw a glimpse of tears in her eyes. "I'm glad too. It's been a pleasure to meet you."

"And thank you for this evening," his mom continued, gently holding Donna's hands. "I hope to see you in Boston next time Harvey visits."

"First he'll have to compromise and actually not work every day of the week," Donna said, her index finger bumping against his side. He squirmed and moved from the wall.

"You say that as if I'm the only one," he rolled his eyes. "I'll walk you downstairs and get you a cab, mom."

"Harvey, it's fine."

"No, really," Harvey insisted. He winked at Donna. "I'll be right back."

The two women said their final goodbyes and he was still smiling as he and his mom got into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, Lily spoke.

"She's lovely, Harvey," she said, touching his arm briefly. "Exceeded my already high expectations."

Harvey frowned. "Really?"

"I had been rooting for you to get back together for years. She had made you better, according to your father," his mother told him. "I can see that now."

"I'm very happy to hear that, mom," Harvey said honestly.

The elevator dinged, signalling they had reached the ground floor, and he let his mom walk out first before following. He nodded to the doorman as they went outside, and he hailed a cab quickly since it wasn't that late. His mom had an expectant look on her face.

"I was gonna wait until you came to Boston but I don't wanna miss my chance," she said, taking an envelope from her bag and handing it to him. Harvey accepted it, dumbfoundedly. "I'm very happy to have finally met Donna for real. And I know your grandmother would have loved her."

His grandmother? It had been a while since he thought of her, no matter how fondly his memories were. "Mom…"

"Just open it when you're alone," Lily said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "It's been great to see you, Harvey. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom," Harvey said softly. "Let me know when you get home tomorrow."

She nodded and waved him goodbye; he watched as the cab drove away and the envelope felt strangely heavy in his hand; he walked back inside and waited once more until he was in the elevator to check it out. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it definitely wasn't what he got.

His grandmother's engagement ring.

The air left his lungs a he stared at it, a little unsure of what to do with the ring. It was obvious that his mom had intended for him to give it to Donna, and it was natural that that was where his mind first went to, but the question that kept ringing in his head was that he wasn't ready. She wasn't ready. This was too much, too soon.

The elevator signalled he had reached the penthouse and he quickly put the ring and the envelope in his back pocket, unsure of what to do with them just yet. When he reached his apartment Donna was doing the dishes, her hair already tied up in a ponytail, her bare feet looking right at home now that it was just the two of them. He ignored the content of his back pocket and smiled at her.

"Hey," she greeted him with a smile.

Harvey frowned. "You didn't have to do that."

"You cooked, I do the dishes," she shrugged. "You know, what with me being your special person and all."

He groaned, knowing he'd never live it down. Donna laughed, and he stepped closer to get a dish cloth and dry the dishes she was washing.

"It's okay," Donna said in an admonishing tone; when he raised his eyes to meet hers, she winked at him. "You're my special person too."

His look turned soft and he couldn't resist pressing his lips against her temple, a silent thank you for the evening they just shared; her words brought some clarity to his mind as she splashed some water on him and he thought that maybe, just maybe, his mother wasn't going insane and it wasn't too soon after all.

Maybe they were just… a couple years late.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was our second to last chapter… and we go on to what will be equivalent to episodes 709 and 710, so you've been warned. The chapter is finished so I'll probably post it next week! Let me know your thoughts :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is set during episodes 709 and 710, so some dialogue was incorporated (and changed) into this chapter. This was really supposed to be the last chapter but I'm thinking of writing an epilogue, so if you could let me know if you'd like an epilogue I'd be very thankful ;) Thanks to everyone who's reviewed or commented or just sent me something about this story. It's been a long run and I could go on but I really feel like this is a good place to leave them (in this universe). Hope everyone enjoys it! And let me know your thoughts, if possible :)

 

The thing with Malik was quickly going out of control.

Complete with Harvey not remembering the guy, the guy basically scrutinizing Donna, the guy getting the better out of Mike, Harvey was just completely done with him.

And that was just from two days into the case.

"I don't even remember this guy," Harvey commented as he finished his first scotch of the evening, shaking his head.

Donna was on the counter of his kitchen, preparing their dinner: spaghetti, because she promised she could handle that by herself. He had gotten home later than usual and ended up leaving Mike in order to have dinner with her, because they hadn't had the chance to enjoy that for a few days now.

She snickered at his latest admission. "Well, he remembers you."

"People remember me, that's just who I am," he shrugged, approaching her slowly. She was stirring the sauce in the pan and he was hoping they'd be able to have actual edible food tonight. "You're not gonna burn that like you did with the eggs last weekend, are you?"

"They only got burnt because you ruined my breakfast in bed surprise and distracted me," she glared at him.

"I had breakfast in bed," he murmured, sneaking his hands around her waist anyway.

She continued stirring as he nuzzled her neck. "You're an idiot," she chuckled. "Hey."

He raised his head to meet her eyes in question.

"Just promise me you won't underestimate this guy, okay?" she asked him quietly. "It's not personal to you but it is to him, and that's dangerous in itself."

Harvey pursed his lips. He didn't like how worried she was over this — especially when they both knew the guy had nothing on him.

"Let's not talk about work anymore," he suggested instead.

Donna made a face at him, slipping from his arms as she reached for the glove on the counter. "You're the one who started it."

"Well, I'm ending it," he winked at her.

Donna laughed. "Who are you and what have you done to my boyfriend?"

He smirked. "He's realized time with you is kinda more important than work."

She arched her eyebrows. " _Kinda_?"

"Hey, I'm compromising. Work might get jealous," he joked, moving to set the table for them.

She kept chuckling and he vaguely thought that boyfriend was such a juvenile word for them. They were more than that.

He stored that thought away for a less busy night.

* * *

At last, the trial came — they prepared Donna as well as they could after she was subpoenaed to be there, although the mock trial never happened because Louis figured it out it was a work product and she had been working under privilege. Still, Harvey felt uneasy with this guy and the lack of surprise on his face when Mike started talking. They had planned Harvey would do the least he could during the trial and keep the defense present with Mike instead; he shared a quick look of reassurance with Donna as they heard Mike's initial argument.

He had faith in Mike and he had faith in Louis, so he listened as Mike talked about Donna's work on the case being covered by privilege and felt confident it would work.

Until Malik spoke again.

"Your Honor, the only reputation being smeared here is mine, but more importantly, I agree. Clifford Danner has nothing to do with this," he started. Harvey frowned. "In fact, if anything even remotely resembling that name comes out of my mouth, feel free to hold me in contempt, but in the meantime, unless the defense would like to bring up what I had for lunch in the third grade, I'd like to call my witness."

Harvey looked at Donna.

"What do we do?" she mouthed the words, a worried look on his face.

They both knew that there would be other cases for Malik to look into if he wasn't talking about Clifford Danner. She would be going to the stand.

"Your honor—" Harvey started.

"Ms. Paulsen, please take the stand," the judge asked.

Donna stood up. Harvey watched the scene unfold — Malik's way too satisfied expression on his face, Mike's frown, Donna's worry. She looked confident as she walked towards the stand, made the oath to tell the truth and sat down, but Harvey knew her. He  _knew_ her. One look between them and he knew she was scared to death.

"Ms. Paulsen, could you please state your employment history prior to becoming a legal secretary?" Malik asked.

"I was an actress," Donna answered swiftly.

They had been here before. This wasn't her first time testimoning, they knew how dirty people could play, but still — he wasn't sure he was ready for it. He wasn't sure  _they_ were ready for it.

"And were you able to make a living at that?"

"No, I worked as a waitress to supplement my income, but I don't see what that has—"

"And how much do you make now, Ms. Paulsen? Somewhere in the six figures?"

Donna arched her eyebrow. "Yes."

"That's quite an improvement on minimum wage plus tips, wouldn't you say?"

"What can I say? I'm very good at what I do."

"And was shredding a document related to the Coastal Motors Case that your firm tried years ago one of the things that you were good at doing?"

"Oh, shit," Harvey muttered under his breath.

Mike frowned beside him. "What is that?"

"Old case. Before you started," he told him.

"How bad?"

"Bad," Harvey admitted.

Donna was silent — eyes going from Mike to Harvey, waiting for a reaction. Harvey felt the anger bubbling in his chest as Malik stepped towards her.

"Ms. Paulsen, I'll ask you again. Did you destroy evidence on that case? And I'll remind you that you're under oath."

Harvey stood up. "Objection. The document he's referring to was fake. It's not illegal to get rid of fraudulent documents."

Malik turned to look at him. "Did she know that when she destroyed it?"

"It doesn't matter, so unless he plans to prosecute the witness for doing her job—"

"I plan to ask the witness questions," Malik interrupted, turning to the judge. "I'd like the chance to do that."

"Your Honor—"

"Mr. Specter, back off. The witness will answer the question," the judge nodded.

The entire court turned to Donna. Harvey let out a deep breath.

"Yes, I shredded the file."

"At your boss' request."

"No."

"Ms. Paulsen, what was the nature of your relationship with Mr. Specter when this occurred?"

He watched as Donna looked down, unsurprised that this would come around.

"We were in a romantic relationship," she said slowly, facing Malik, unperturbed.

Harvey knew better. He heard the strain in her voice. This was exactly what he had been wanting to avoid since her coming back to the firm.

"Was it recent?" Malik asked.

"No, we had been together for five years."

"Did the relationship end when you were fired during the Coastal Motors trial?"

Harvey stood up again.

"Objection, the witness resigned for personal reasons, nothing to do with the case."

Malik simply shrugged. "I'm simply asking her a question."

The judge nodded. "Unsustained. Proceed."

Harvey frowned, sat down — found Donna's gaze on his, and he instantly knew that was true. She hadn't resigned.

She had never resigned.

"I was fired, yes. Our relationship ended that day."

"So it was clearly a move to protect Mr. Specter's reputation," Malik concluded. "You shredded that memo, plead the fifth in court, got fired to save his case. And yet you were able to get a good position at another law firm in the city. I assume you must have gotten a good recommendation letter."

"You'd have to ask Jessica Pearson about it," Donna answered firmly.

"And since then, you've come back to the firm and become your firm's chief operating officer, but you're not a lawyer, are you?"

"You don't need to be a lawyer to be a COO."

"Right, you have an MBA. The one you got last month," Malik said. "You've been COO for longer, though, haven't you? Seven, eight months?"

"That sounds about right. It'll be eight months next week."

"So Mr. Specter gave you the COO position even after you broke his trust years ago, or perhaps just followed his orders or simply did something to please him, like a good girlfriend would," Malik concluded. "Five years later, he hires you even though you don't have an MBA yet. How did you get your position?"

"As I said, I'm very good at what I do," Donna told him guardedly.

"Oh, so by breaking the law and then rewarding the people that do."

"That's a lie!"

"Then how did you get your promotion? Because there's only two ways I can think of when you're not qualified, and they're both pretty distasteful," Malik said, looking at Harvey.

Mike stood up. "Objection! That's inflammatory."

Malik ignored him. "Answer the question."

"I'll tell you how I got it. I was offered my position."

"You were offered? Well. You know, if that's all it takes, maybe I should wait until Mr. Specter offers me a pony," Malik let out a sarcastic laugh. "What is your relationship with Mr. Specter now?"

Donna's lip trembled. Harvey wanted to punch Malik's gut.

"We are in a romantic relationship," she repeated the statement from before.

"Would you say you love him?" Malik tilted his head.

"That has nothing to do with—"

"It has everything to do with this. Do you love him?" Malik repeated. "Would you destroy evidence for him?"

"Objection. Badgering," Mike said.

"People do all kinds of things for love," Malik grinned. "I guess destroying evidence, getting fired, and a little acting ability can pull it off."

"Your Honor, he's testifying!"

"Yeah, well, then I'll wrap it up because if she was willing to destroy evidence in that case, she's willing to do it in this one, and that is why the memo referred to in that article no longer exists."

Harvey stood as well.

"Your Honor—"

"I've heard enough. This case is moving forward, and I'm allowing that article to be admitted as evidence," the judge concluded.

Harvey felt Mike's gaze on him but his eyes were on Donna — the slight tremble of her lower lip as she hurried off the stand, casting not even a look towards Malik. He let Mike handle their client and met Donna halfway, touching his forearm in an attempt to calm her down.

"Donna—"

"Let's just leave it, okay?" she shrugged him off. "I'll meet you at the firm."

* * *

Malik got them — by using her. And not even figuring things out, along with Mike, made Donna uneasy — she felt guilty for not helping the case, mad at Louis and Harvey for not coaching her beforehand, mad at all of them (including herself) for not having seen it coming. She felt undermined, humiliated and to top all of it, she was sure Harvey would question her answers as soon as he could.

So, when he did show up at her apartment — using the key she had given him, but without calling her first — she knew what she was in for.

He found her sitting on the couch, and they exchanged an hesitant look. It was late, she was dressed for bed, he had clearly just left the office. It wasn't the time but then it was better to just get it over with. She closed the book she had been trying to read and he sat down on the couch, some distance between them. If that wasn't an indication that something was wrong, she wasn't sure what it was.

"Any news?" Donna asked, because she had to. She knew he and Mike were working around the clock for this, and she knew she gave them a lead but nothing was solved yet.

"Nothing you don't know already," Harvey breathed. "He really couldn't have been worse at the trial. I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's fine. Nobody expected that, I get it."

"I should have insisted for the mock trial. At least you'd have been prepared," he continued.

Donna let out a laugh. "I should have been prepared anyway, Harvey. That was…  _exactly_  why I left. Guess I forgot how bad it could be."

"You mean why Jessica fired you," he pursed his lips. "Were you ever gonna tell me?"

Donna leaned back on the couch. "Does it matter?"

"If you were fired or if you'd tell me?" Harvey questioned. "I think both matter, actually."

"I'm done being questioned," Donna shook her head, closing her eyes. "Is this going to be a continuation of the trial with you playing Malik or what?"

"Donna, come on," he asked, hand reaching for hers — for the first time since this morning. "I just want to understand."

"There isn't much to understand. Jessica fired me because she had to," she started. It was a little fuzzy in her head, the circumstances, but that conversation was clear in her mind. "You wouldn't have understood. I knew I had to leave, because what I did tarnished the firm's reputation. But more importantly, it tarnished yours."

"I told you I had fixed it," he complained, weakly.

She remembered. He had been angry at her, livid even — but he had fixed it eventually. Not without some casualties — her firing being one of them.

"It was done. On record, even," she continued. "I couldn't do that to you. We were growing apart and I was sure we wouldn't survive it. I still think our relationship wouldn't have survived it. I didn't want to ruin your career by staying, especially if it was for a dying relationship."

"You could have talked to me," Harvey said, his grip on her hand strong. "Jessica could have been honest about it."

"She was going to, but I had already decided to leave," Donna said. "I told her I'd take the bullet for it. It didn't matter anymore."

"And why didn't you tell me when we hired you back?"

"I didn't think of it," she said truthfully. "I didn't think it mattered. It's been almost six years, Harvey. It hurt me to leave, but what hurt the most was that you never tried to win me back, not until this year. That's how I knew I did the right thing."

"I was an idiot," he ran his hand through his hair.

"We both were," she told him softly. "It wasn't the right time for us. We both had to move on from that," she tilted her head. "I do wonder if any time is gonna be the right time. Today reminded me of why I left in the first place."

"What are you saying?" Harvey frowned.

"I'm saying I don't want to be humiliated, and I don't want to tarnish your career any more than I already have," she confessed. "This wasn't exactly why I had that no dating with co-workers policy, but it makes sense, huh?"

"Donna, you're not leaving the firm," Harvey said at once.

She didn't want to. She didn't want to leave him either.

They'd either have to prepare for these eventual problems or avoid them completely. To avoid them, their personal relationship couldn't co-exist with their professional one — and she thought they were finally getting somewhere good, in both instances.

She wasn't sure they were ready to face this yet.

"Let's just… see this thing through, okay?" She asked him, giving him a tentative smile. "Let's just go to bed."

Harvey nodded; she didn't like the way he was frowning and how worried he looked, whether it be because of the case or because of their talk. Either way, the problem lay with her, and that was just killing her — very slowly.

She went to her bedroom and he stayed in the living room, saying he had to call Mike one last time; she was already drifting to sleep when he joined her, arms sneaking around her waist, pressing his chest against her back. With him, like this, everything seemed so simple, everything seemed so easy. She felt him press a kiss to her hair and wondered if they had to face all these troubles now that things were finally good between them.

She definitely wasn't going to give up as easily as she did last time.

* * *

They did try — with Holly Cromwell, with Malik, but everywhere they went things only got worse. He had them — most importantly, he had Harvey. And to win, Harvey and Mike would have to gamble.

It was just their luck Harvey was very good at gambling.

It was late, and he and Donna were sharing a scotch in his office. She had been nervous since the trial, since she had been put on the stand. He still wasn't sure what to make of it, of the fact that she truly gave their relationship up in exchange for his successful career. The truth of the matter was that he wasn't sure his career was so important anymore.

His priorities were changing, and he could feel it.

"My word is as good as hers," Donna stated as she talked of Holly and how she admitted to having planted that story for Malik.

"It doesn't matter," Harvey shrugged.

Donna looked up at him. "Why not?"

"Because in this situation, it isn't."

"You mean the situation where he made it look like I would do anything for you because I—"

"I don't care what he made it look like, it's not true."

"But it is true, Harvey," her eyes welled up with tears. "He said all those things and they are true. I can't say I would have shredded that damn memo again, but I'd do it if it was something that could hurt you."

"Donna…"

"He implied I did it because I loved you, and he's not wrong," she sniffed. "I'd do it again for the same reason, but that he said I'm only where I am because I slept my way here, I—"

"Hey," he let go of his tumbler to cup her cheek. Her eyes were watery from anger and emotion and he just loved how empathetic she could be, and how strong she was. "Look at me. That's not how you got here, and we know that, and everyone else who matters knows that."

"I know," she said, but he knew that wasn't the problem. The repercussions were still there, would always be there. He understood it, but he wasn't gonna give her up because of it. "I just… I wanted to get back at him so badly," she shook her head, "and I wanted to be the one to do it."

"You were the one to do it."

"How?"

"You realized it was Holly, and the truth is, she was never gonna say yes no matter who asked," he gave her a soft smile.

"So what are we gonna do?"

He loved that about her. The way she put herself in fights for him, the way he did it with her as well. They had always been a unit of sorts, but now it felt like it was bigger than them, natural that it would come this way. Even with Malik threatening him with her, he couldn't give a shit if his career was damaged in any way — he had a reputation and it would follow him no matter where he'd go, no matter where they'd both go. He might have prioritized his career during their first relationship, but things were different now.

He now knew what it felt like to be on top of the world, and to have her by his side.

"Mike and I are gonna use what you gave us to put a gun to Andrew Malik's head, and if we do it right, he is gonna regret the day he met you."

Donna smiled, wiping the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. "Thanks, Harvey."

He smiled back — he hated seeing her cry. He especially hated it because he knew he had been the cause of it in many occasions, and he vowed to never do that again — and to protect her against this type of shit if it ever came back to bite them. A lot of people had taken the fall for him — Mike, Jessica. He'd take the fall for Donna any time, easily.

He hoped she knew that. And he hoped she'd never have to see it, either way.

"No problem. It's the least I can do," Harvey said quietly, linking his hand to hers. "You know, since you love me and everything."

Donna let out a laugh. " _That's_  what you take from this situation?"

"Is it a wrong assumption?" he arched an eyebrow.

She snickered — that quiet, cute laugh of hers. Her thumb brushed against the side of his hand and he stared at their intertwined fingers. He liked how he couldn't see where he ended and she began, and he realized it had always been like this between them. They had always been like this.

It was just very clear now.

"It's not wrong," she admitted with a laugh, sniffing slightly. "You're an idiot, but I do love how you're always looking out for me. I do love you."

"Well… it's a two way street, I assure you," he gave in.

She frowned. "What, you love me too?"

Her tone was teasing, but he could feel the slight expectancy in her voice.

"I meant that you're an idiot when it comes to looking out for me too. We're both idiots," he joked, pulling her hand slightly closer. "But yeah, that works too."

She laughed again — freely this time, with tears still in her eyes and some worry on her mind, but he kissed it all away, loved the way her free hand messed up with his hair and how slowly she kissed him back, as if she was savoring the moment, in the dark confines of his office in the meantime of this terrible case.

Their fingers remained intertwined.

* * *

"You ever thought of leaving New York?"

His words surprised her — in the quietness of her bedroom, both of them spent, bare bodies pressed together, heads sharing a pillow and his mouth close to her shoulder, she had thought he had already been asleep. She thought back to years before and how they'd often wake up in opposite sides of the bed. Now it was as if even their subconscious selves wanted to be together — sometimes they'd wake up close together even if they hadn't fallen asleep that way.

Still, she never expected those words, not from him. Her hand stilled on his chest, where she had been caressing distractedly. He shifted under her and looked up to meet her eyes properly. She shifted too, to her side, to stare at him more closely, straighter.

"A few times when I was an actress," she confessed, her voice equally quiet. "Once more the morning after I left the firm."

"Would you have left?" Harvey frowned, his hand moving from her arm to caress her jaw.

"No. Rachel called early and said she had gotten me an interview at her father's firm. I got the job, so I stayed," she shrugged. "I hadn't been ready to leave, though. I think that would have been too much. Where would I have gone?"

She meant it as a joke, and the ghost of a smile crossed Harvey's face. They were in a weird place, she thought. Firm in their feelings, less firm professionally. Or at least she was. Donna wasn't going to simply leave without thinking things through, but she wondered if this life, this hurried life was what they'd always have for their future. For the first time in her life she wanted to make plans — plans for years ahead of her, with him. She loved her job and she loved the city, and it was her home, had been for the last twenty years. Still, she worried. About cases, about threats, about the future.

She wasn't sure that was a good way to live life, and apparently Harvey was thinking the same.

"Your family," he suggested.

Now she laughed. "Really? You see me living in Connecticut? A house with white picket fence…"

"A dog too," he joked. "Maybe a couple of kids."

Donna still laughed. "Yeah, not gonna happen."

He tilted his head. "Not in Connecticut anyway."

"Definitely not," she smiled. It was a discussion they weren't ready to have yet, but it warmed her heart that he was that open about it. "You thinking of leaving?"

He picked the hand that had been on his chest and raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss against her palm.

"Not exactly," Harvey said softly. "I just… I don't wanna lose you."

Donna frowned. "You won't lose me."

"I have a reputation. People will keep coming for me," he continued. "That means they'll come for you, like Malik did. I want you with me, Donna."

"You are with me," she assured him. "I know I was worried yesterday, but it's gonna take more than that to scare me away. I don't like the threats, but they're empty. We know they are."

It didn't mean they didn't take a toll on her, but having to deal with people like that just came with working with Harvey. At the DA's office it was because people thought they were sleeping together. At Pearson Hardman it was because people thought he was just screwing his secretary. Now they thought she slept her way to the top.

It wasn't ever easy on either of them. A little harder on her — the weight of being a woman. She was Donna. She didn't like it, but she could handle it.

"Don't worry about it," she pleaded with him. "I love the firm. The only way for me to love it even more was if my name was on the wall, and we know that's not possible, so…"

Harvey laughed, eyes a little sleepy. He looked adorable to her, not that she'd say so. Let him think she just thought of him as sexy for now.

She couldn't resist kissing him, though.

"I'm not saying we can't leave the city, or change jobs," Donna said softly. "We can and if that's something we want we should do it together. But it's not necessary, so hold your horses, mister."

He nodded, pressing his lips against the corner of her mouth. "Alright," he muttered, his voice raspy against her ear. "No Connecticut, though."

Donna chuckled, revelling in the warmth of his body even closer to hers now. She ran a hand through his hair, felt his deep breath and knew he was now falling asleep.

"No Connecticut," she confirmed.

"No white picket fence. It's not my style," he continued, surprising her.

"What about the dog?" Donna asked, fighting a smile to see how long he'd last in this.

He shrugged a little. She knew he was tired — it had been a long week for them both.

"I could get onboard with a dog, maybe," he said at last. "Maybe even a couple of kids."

She turned a little and saw him arching his eyebrows at her. She could be overwhelmed by it all but it made her smile, and she touched her nose to his and pointedly gave him a look.

"Let's sleep, shall we?" she said, making him laugh out loud.

She shifted and got comfortable and before long Harvey was snoring softly against her ear and she felt her eyelids drooping slowly. They had a lot to figure out and they'd deal with things as they came, but it didn't matter what it was or who it was that could come for them. It didn't matter where they went.

He'd always be her home, and they had each other now. For good.

* * *

His father once told him that he'd know when he met the one.

Harvey would argue, nowadays, that he didn't know. Not really, not until that night at the bar. He had had a feeling about Donna the evening they met, when she was a twenty-five year old aspiring actress and he was a twenty-seven year old assistant DA. His feeling had been everywhere, if he was honest with himself — he had been taken by her beauty, captivated by her charms and deeply interested in her. That should have been enough that he knew he had met the one, but not for him.

He had been a blind son of a bitch and that cost them five years — no, twelve. Including the ones they had spent together. He hadn't been ready, and he had let him go, not even wanting to believe that she left to help him — always seeing his needs before he did, anticipating his wishes.

He wasn't gonna let her go now.

It had been bad enough the first time around. People left, always — his dad. Jessica. Harvey knew Mike would eventually leave for good to pursue his own dreams.

In a way, Donna never left him.

The case against Malik put things into a different perspective — he and Mike got the best out of him and then he retaliated by going after Jessica's license. They had another problem in their hands — a problem that consisted of how they'd buy Jessica out of the firm and how they'd spin this thing in their favor. Normally, he'd go straight back to the firm — to seek Louis out and talk things through with him and Donna.

He didn't, though. Jessica left his apartment with the recent news and Harvey found a hundred new reasons to postpone his plans tonight in order to work on this — each reason was shot down as he took a shower and changed into more comfortable clothes. He'd deal with it in the morning, with a clear head and hopefully a lighter heart.

He was just leaving when he remembered the most important article of the evening, putting it in his pocket as walked through the empty apartment and got a text from Donna.

_Where is Ray taking me?_

A suspicious emoji accompanied the text. Harvey shook his head with a smile.

_Just trust me._

He even added a winky emoji himself, because she brought out the best of him.

He hoped she'd see it for what it was.

* * *

Donna exited the Lexus and looked around, frowning. Harvey had asked her to meet him and the location had been a surprise only he and the driver knew of. Now that she was here, she understood — she hadn't been here in months. Since coming back to the firm, actually.

The sight of Joe's bar was a welcome one, though. It would be rather busy tonight, she knew, as it often was on a Friday, so she marched her way to the door and pushed it open — surprised to find it was silent inside.

Now that was odd.

The stage was empty, there was no one at the piano, no bartender or waiters around. There was only one person at the bar, sipping his customary scotch, and she let the door close behind her, an hesitant yet happy smile forming on her lips. She had no idea what this was about, but she'd have to go in and find out. There was a nervousness in her core, an overwhelming feeling of general wonder, and she stepped towards him and their eyes met for the first time that evening.

She was reminded of their gazes meeting when she was singing, months ago. That also made her nervous. A weird nervousness then — the kind that terrified her. Now it was just anxiousness, wonder and, most importantly, love.

Their eyes met and she fell in love with him all over again.

Harvey grinned when he saw her, that good ol' grin, moving from the stool he had been sitting on to stand.

"Harvey," she breathed as she got closer, frowning. "I didn't think I'd see you here again."

"It's not the same without you up there," he pointed to the stage. Donna shook her head; he offered her his hand, and she took it. "You want something to drink?"

"I think I'm good for now," Donna chuckled. "Why did you want to meet me here?"

"I was sitting right here when I saw you. Five years apart, in the same town, and I never saw you. Then I got here and you started singing," he shook his head, his hand gripping hers tighter, never letting go. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the worlds, you had to walk into mine."

"Alright, Bogart," Donna let out a laugh. "Technically  _you_ walked into  _mine_."

"I'm Bogart here, not you," Harvey winked at her. "I saw you up there and it was like a switch, Donna. I knew you'd make things better if you came back to the firm, to my life."

She chuckled, letting go of his hand to walk around the empty bar. "So you admit it was all a ploy to get me back."

"I thought that was pretty obvious when I came back, and when I found you outside your yoga class," Harvey told her. When she looked back at him, he had his hands in his pockets, watching her closely. "I wouldn't have insisted if you hadn't accepted me when you did, but I'd have kept coming here to see you perform, even if I never approached you anymore."

"What do you mean?" Donna tilted her head, leaning against a table — the same table they shared that first night.

"I mean that I saw you up there and I admitted to myself I've been missing you since you left," he continued, his tone soft. "I never should have let you go, Donna."

She stood up straight. "Harvey, that's in the past."

"I know, Donna. And I used to be like Bogart and never plan far ahead of myself, but I'm not that man anymore," he walked the next steps towards her. Her breath caught on her throat. "I saw you here that night and I was at the top of the world, completely lost. It turns out it doesn't matter if you're up there alone."

He reached for her hand.

"You're gonna make me cry," Donna whispered.

"I'm just getting started," Harvey grinned. "I'm finally where I'm supposed to be, and that's with you, Donna. Always."

She sniffed. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I love you, and if there's one thing I learned in the years we weren't together is that I've wasted too much time," he shook his head. "I don't want to waste another second. I wanted to marry you the night we met at that bar across town near the DA's office," he continued. Donna gasped. "I wanted to marry you again when I saw you on that stage, months ago. I wanna plan ahead with you, Donna."

And suddenly he was moving, down on his knee, in this empty bar, and she was at a complete loss — her heart was beating fast against her chest, the hand that wasn't clutching his was trembling.

"Oh, my God," she whispered.

He used his free hand to reach inside his pocket, and there was it — a ring.  _A ring meant for her_.

"Donna, will you marry me?"

He offered her the ring, and she reached for his hand, trembling fingers and trembling lips, and she couldn't even bring herself to say anything because the words were caught in her throat — she kept looking at him, kneeling down in front of her, the ring, and it was almost too much.

"I don't care if it's been twelve years, or five, or six months," Harvey said, and suddenly she could only focus on him, on his face, on the way his eyes shone and she could see the slight nervousness behind them, the leap of faith he was taking — or himself, for her, for  _them_. "It's not too soon. I should have done this years ago, but I just… you've always been the most important person in the world to me, and I couldn't access it. I can now."

She nodded, because she understood, because she accepted it, because she wanted him, she wanted them too.

"What do you say?" he asked again, that smirk playing on his lips.

It was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

"I say yes, Harvey," she finally found her voice. "I say yes."

Her eyes were stinging with tears as they shared a shaky smile, and then he was slipping the ring on her finger and she shouldn't be surprised it was a perfect fit. He pressed his lips to her knuckles and she placed a hand on his shoulder, nudging him to stand up, and then he was kissing her — so slow and so deep that it took her a moment to get used to it, before her hand slipped through his hair and she felt his hands on her lower back bringing her closer.

She smiled into the kiss, and wondered if she had ever been this happy.

She was pretty sure this was just the beginning for them.


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here's the epilogue! It's just a short addendum to the story, a glimpse of what might happen in their future. It's supposed to be a little open, but I was able to include some dialogue I had ended up deleting from a previous chapter, so I hope everyone likes it. Thanks so much to everyone who's taken the time to leave a review, it means the world to me. Hopefully I'll see you in my next stories :)

 

Harvey watched from the doorway as Donna took off her heels near the kitchen counter. It was something that amused him, the way she'd take off her heels first thing every evening when she got home. Today had been a particularly long day; she had pulled off organizing an entire wedding in just a few days, everything went according to her plans, and he had woken up in Chicago and tried to help Jessica and still managed to be back in New York for the wedding.

It had been a beautiful wedding.

He could try and say something about the decoration or the arrangements or how good Mike and Rachel looked, but he only had eyes for the maid of honor — her wavy hair swept over one shoulder, that black dress that left her back half exposed. Things were changing with all of them, taking a rhythm that could only be called what life really was about. Mike and Rachel leaving, Louis getting back together with Sheila, Robert joining the firm…

He and Donna, together. For real, this time. Forever.

He put his suit jacket on the counter and made his way to the record player. Donna was in the process of getting a glass of water and he didn't have to turn around to know she was shaking his head at him. He quickly selected a record — one of his father's — and turned it on.

"You do know that it's late and we have neighbors, right?" She pointed out, unable to stop herself.

He really liked to hear her say these things — they had been virtually living together since that evening she brought him home with her, but after they got engaged it became more official somehow — they were more comfortable in calling each other's apartment home, anyway. It didn't matter the place, it only mattered where they were. Wherever she was, it was home to him. It had taken him a long time realizing that; he actually understood Mike leaving with Rachel. It didn't matter where they were as long as they had each other.

It was the same with him and Donna. While they hadn't yet settled on one place specifically, talks of finding their own place were becoming more frequent. Meanwhile, they took turns in each other's apartments. It was still temporary, but it was working well.

"We have thick walls, otherwise they'd have complained of other stuff before," Harvey arched his eyebrows twice, making her laugh as she put the glass down. "Come here."

It didn't take a second request for her to come closer. There was a soft smile playing on her lips and he fell in love with her again today — at the wedding, at the party, while dining and dancing. Things were changing all around them, and he wondered how he would have felt about Mike and Rachel leaving if he didn't have her in his life, just like this.

He wanted one more dance with her before the night was over.

She settled in his arms easily, comfortably; without her heels her hair brushed against his cheek and he leaned into her embrace, with her hands around his neck and his arms around her waist. He pressed his lips against her temple and sighed, the two of them swaying to the familiar jazz song.

"You okay?" Donna asked softly, her breath on his neck.

She had refrained from doing so at the reception. The wedding in itself had been a surprise, but the fact that his best friend and her best friend were leaving to work on the other side of the country took him completely off guard. He felt like he should have seen it coming and, judging by the serenity on Donna's face, she must have known or guessed it, or at the very least expected it to happen sooner rather than later. But then she had always had more clarity of these situations than he did.

"Yeah. I really thought we'd end up marrying before those two," he commented, to lighten things up a little.

He felt Donna chuckle against him. "They did take a long time before deciding to do it. We won't do that."

"You could have fooled me," Harvey mumbled.

Donna pulled away to meet his eye. "Harvey, we've been engaged for three months. That's hardly a long time."

"True," he agreed. "We haven't talked much about what we want, though."

"No," Donna pouted a little, settling against him once more. "There's always something. Jessica needs help, Louis needs help. Now Mike and Rachel are leaving, we're in the middle of a merge, Alex will want his name on the wall…"

"It never stops," he concluded. He used to love the thrill, never knowing what the future held. Sure, they had financial stability, but professionally speaking, they didn't have a lot. It was a matter of time before someone else came after them — or him, personally. They both knew it. "We could have it done at the Hamptons."

Donna hummed against him. "Something small. Close friends and family."

Harvey grinned. "The mighty Donna Paulsen doesn't want a big white wedding featuring all of New York's finest?"

She laughed. "The mighty Donna Paulsen wants to share this with the people who matter."

Harvey's grin turned into a soft smile. "Close friends and family it is."

"Now it's all a matter of setting the date and then postponing it when the firm demands too much of us," Donna joked. Exactly what Mike and Rachel had been doing for the last two years. He really didn't want that.

Sure, they knew they'd be together forever; they didn't need a ceremony or a piece of paper saying that. To him, forever started when they kissed in front of the elevators that evening. He hoped it was the same to her.

"Let's settle this merger first," he suggested slowly, feeling a sudden nervousness to share this with her, unsure of what she'd think of the idea. "Once it's over, we could have our wedding, take a long honeymoon."

The words got stuck in his throat, and he pondered how to bring this up with her. Helping Jessica in Chicago, seeing Mike and Rachel off to Seattle, it just made sense to him.

"And then not come back?" Donna asked softly.

He stilled in her arms, pulled away to really look at her.

She shrugged. "There's more to life than the firm. I figured Jessica has been planting that in your head for a while."

He made a face.

"Did she offer you a job in Chicago?" Donna asked, her voice low and careful.

He shook his head. "I'm sure she'd find me something if I wanted, though," Harvey pursed his lips, squeezed her waist softly. "I know you love being COO."

Donna frowned. "I can be COO somewhere else. It's not a problem," she assured him. "Just… not Connecticut."

"Pretty sure we decided some time ago Connecticut is off limits," he let out a laugh. "Boston isn't as small."

It was just an idea, of course. He and his mom were closer than they had been in decades, and his mom really treated Donna like the daughter she never had. It was still close to Donna's family, the city had good opportunities and he thought he could see them there in the future. His family close by, his mom a part of their life. So, he held his breath and waited for her reaction.

"It isn't. Your brother's restaurant is pretty good," she said, tilting her head. "You thinking of the white picket fence already? Because I'm not sure that's our thing."

"It really isn't," he agreed. "Our own company doesn't sound bad."

"Now, that depends."

He frowned. "On what?"

"On whether or not my name's gonna be on the wall," Donna said matter-of-factly.

"I'll give you a better one," he couldn't help but grin. " _Both_  your names will be on the wall."

"Donna Paulsen? That sounds amazing, I have to say. Just like me."

He shook his head, because she was so infuriating and so quick in making fun of him. He never wanted to spend another day apart from her.

"Paulsen Specter, smartass," Harvey replied. He watched as the laughter died on her lips, replaced by what he could only guess to be emotional tears in her eyes. He brought his hand to her jaw, caressed her cheek with his thumb. "It's just an idea we could elaborate."

She nodded slowly. "I like it," a soft smile appeared on her lips. "Something with less working hours would be great."

"Yeah. We could even get a dog," he suggested.

Donna chuckled. "Yeah. A couple of kids too. In the future."

"In the future."

They shared a smile. It was a start — they definitely had a lot to figure out, but it felt like a step in the right direction. He didn't care about where they went as long as he had her. Slowing things down seemed like the next logical step to him, to both of them. Perhaps they'd be able to find a perfect place for them in Boston, and maybe they'd be able to have their own company and he really doesn't care about a dog but if that was something she'd want he'd gladly give it to her.

He supposed adding to their family of two was a matter of time.

First, however, they had a lot to catch up on.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" Harvey said softly, feeling her fingers play with the hairs near his neck.

"You might have mentioned it once or twice," Donna replied. There was a soft glow to her features. "I don't mind hearing it again, though."

"Stunning," he started as he got closer. "Amazing. Very, very beautiful."

She was laughing just as his lips met hers, and he felt her smile all through it as their tongues touched gently and he kissed her slow and deep. He had been gone for just a few days and he had already missed her terribly. He really had no idea how he managed so many years without her.

Luckily, he'd never have to deal with that again.

She melted into him, the telltale signs of some champagne in her veins and that she had missed him too. He rested one palm on the curve of her hip and the other played with the bare skin her dress showed off. It was about time the dress went to the floor, he thought.

Suddenly, a memory crossed through his mind and he chuckled, interrupting their kissing all of a sudden. Donna pulled back and tossed him a curious look.

"I just remembered something Mike told me," he told her.

She brought her hands to his chest and started undoing his tie. "Well?"

"He asked me to be his best man, months ago, and told me we had to make sure I didn't sleep with the maid of honor at the wedding," Harvey said.

Donna let out a laugh. "And you both knew I was the maid of honor."

"Yep."

"Well, it's a good thing Harvey Specter likes going against the rules," she arched her eyebrows. "He's definitely doing more than just sleeping with the maid of honor tonight."

"Just the way I like it, then," Harvey arched his eyebrows.

Without warning, he slipped his arms down her waist and knees and lifted her up, bridal style. Donna let out a tiny shriek and he realized the record player had been silent for a few minutes already. She was laughing as he started walking towards their bedroom.

"What on earth are you doing?" Donna asked, her tone nothing short of amusement and love.

He winked at her. "Gotta practice before we make this maid of honor a bride."

"Mm, I like that," she said, pressing a kiss to his neck.

Things turned a little less gracious when he laid her on the bed, shedding his tie and shirt quickly before helping her out of her dress. He made love to her slowly afterwards, labored breaths mingling as they held each other close and he moved within her, blankets and bed covers all but put aside, clothes all over the bedroom floor, just the way they liked best. He lost himself to her, in her scent and her freckles and the hazel of her eyes, and when they were finished he was certain this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his days.

Later, he watched as she slept — the light snores she refused to believe she emitted making him smile slightly. She had an arm draped around his waist and her head close to his. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder and declared to himself that the evening, even with its surprises, was a success. They had been a great team at the DA's office, an even better one at Pearson Hardman. But being with her like this, just the two of them, was the best team they had ever made.

He was excited at the prospect of whatever else the future reserved for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts!


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